Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
by Warrior-of-Darkness015
Summary: What happens when the X-Men comes across a evil mutant with the ability to manipulate and make fears real? He also has eyes for Wolverine and kidnaps a few X-Men. What will the X-Men do with this new mutant on the block? M to be safe and pairings may come later on. R&R or your fav character may die and not much bad words. A bit of a different twist from my stories from the Comics.
1. Chapter 1

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**This is one of my first of many X Men Evo fics to come, so go easy and R&amp;R. I wanted to add entirely new characters than my fics from the comics. Enjoy.**

**Michael Darkstone was a man of very unique mutant abilities and even more unique tastes as all he likes to do is cause pain to anyone he finds weaker or beneath him as well as collecting mutants as he now owned a very small warehouse turned prison with over 100+ poor mutants inside. He was now walking through the cells with two men, both were loyal only to him and one was equally, if not more sadistic.**

**He walks up to one of his favorite 'pets', as he calls them. Her name was Laura Guinness and she had a resemblance to an X-Man you may know, Jean Grey only with the defiant attitude of Rogue as beside her was the cell of Vladimir Wilson, a Russian soccer player that resembled Peter 'Piotr' Rasputin, the X-Man Colossus as he glances at the girl and wanted to tell her to be quiet but knew somehow it was too late for her, himself and most of the mutants here, numbered in the hundreds and that's only in this location. He struggled to hold back tears and he was a person who almost never cried.**

"Well well" Michael glanced at Laura menacingly; she stared at him with determination to escape unlike most others who'd look away or not look at all "You're awful quiet t'day, big mouth. Good girl." The larger and less sane of the two men goes over to the Russian. He wasn't as big as the Russian but was still very big and deadly as Vladimir snarls weakly "Leave her alone"

"Fine then. Boss" the man looks at Michael "we can take them both, right?"

Michael corrected him "No" he glares at Laura with the same dark look he had when the last poor African-American 16 year old boy left with them and never returned "_I_ can handle these two alone, you two stay here and make sure we're not found." He glances meanly at Laura with a grin "Home awaits you."

* * *

**The two are let out of the cells, free as a bird but still way too afraid to use their gifts thanks to Michael's own gift of making a person's deepest and darkest fears a very real reality. He has used it against humans and mutants alike, many of which said they had no fears before he proved them gravely wrong as their own fears killed them. They made it to Bayville as the young adults' faces lit up a bit until Michael spoke again.**

"Go on" Michael guided them off the craft as he filled their hearts with false hope "Don't you want to see your families again?" Vlad was at a loss for words as Laura was in tears, not sure if they were of fear or happiness but both were frozen still with fear "Go" Michael said as the two sprint off in separate directions.

Michael did a twenty-count then made his move.

He went after the girl, Laura first. She'd made it to a chain link fence and was cornered, but when she turned to go back the way she'd come from she was attacked and killed, blood everywhere by an unseen terror.

Michael knew Vlad was a smart one and would do anything to stay alive, being naturally competitive as he was attacked next but managed to barely dodge through some as he never stopped running and the second attack massacred him like the girl and countless other victims before leaving him mauled beyond recognition.

Michael walked back to his ship, licking blood off the corner of his mouth as he sneered "zero"

_RING!_

He grinned at the sound of his phone ringing as he picked up to one of his favorite people, Erik better known as the villain and constant enemy of the X-Men, Magneto as he picked up "Hello?"

"Mister Darkstone, I believe I've found something that may be of interest to you." Magneto said, fear evident in his voice but slightly and poorly hidden "I'm listening, Magneto" were Michael's only words.

"You will receive a few pictures of your next targets, are there any availabilities?" Magneto asked as Michael grunted "Of course there are, even for you personally if you'd like."

"I think not; we should be in contact soon, but be aware though, one of them will be a tough catch." Magneto said as Michael replied "I'll keep that in mind." They hung up and Michael's phone pinged again.

He shuffled through pictures of the X-Men. There was Peter, Kitty, Kurt, Jean and Rogue while the last was Logan, a man that he heard was virtually fearless and could heal any injury. He'll see about that.

* * *

**The next day, everyone at Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters, Logan was in the kitchen as usual enjoying his morning coffee and reading his paper when he was supposed to have left already and a story caught his eye.**

Logan read his paper, almost completely oblivious to his students coming in as Kurt came by "Morning, Logan. I thought you'd left by now." Logan only nodded "Morning" as he took as sip of his fresh coffee and saw a story that could bring even him to tears.

"Kurt, go get Hank and Ororo. Everyone else, come see this." He growled as Kurt left to get Hank and Ororo and returned quickly with the already awake professors as Hank peered into the newspapers "What is it, Logan?"

Logan points at the story in question "This is." Logan looks at the dead teens for a moment then to Jean and Piotr with wide eyes as Jean asked "Is there a problem, Logan?" Then she sees the paper and he says "They were both students from Bayville High, look like anyone you know?"

Peter looks at the article "It says the young man was Russian, he look like me only more of a jock but the girl looks like your twin, Jean" He looked at the redhead beside him as she looked at the time "oh, we're gonna be late."

Logan lets them go but warns them "Be careful and don't take rides or anything from strangers, got that?"

"Alright, got it." The group replied as they left. Ororo touches his shoulder "They're going to be fine, Logan. We don't even know who was responsible for these deaths" Logan nods "That's what's bothering me; they won't know either." however in his mind, Logan was still disturbed _"Who could've done this?" _Wolverine roared in the back of his mind "_Sabretooth, no, this is too gruesome even fer him. But, still..."_

* * *

**Logan left the paper for now and went out for a ride. Where was he going? Two places, to the scene of each death and then to the current location of the bodies, they were not going to be buried without letting their loved ones mourn and he was going to see to that personally.**

Logan is still bothered about the situation; even at the scenes of the deaths by Logan "This place smells putrid. Certain death was imminent from the start by the looks of it." He growled as his sense of smell gave him almost a full recap of the events that transpired. He left not long after.

* * *

**Brotherhood's base, Magneto enters the kitchen and Sabretooth could smell his fear before he could even see him as he was threatening the Cajun, Gambit (who'd never joined the X-Men) about sneaking out to see Rogue the previous night.**

"You better tread lightly with me, Cajun. Ain't my fault yer frail's stupid." Sabretooth snarls at the Cajun who glares at him and attempts to fry him with some cards when Magneto walks in and threatens him "Do that, Gambit and I'll send you to someone less tolerating of your daily stupidity and antics." Magneto glares at him as fiercely as Sabretooth as the feral sniffs then had wide eyes at Erik as he turned glaring at him "What?"

"You afraid o' somethin'?" Sabretooth questioned taking a step back "You look like the runt threatened to kill ya, something's just... off about ya today."

"I came here with a mission for you" Magneto puts some pictures on the table, dismissing Victor's question "Bring me these persons…alive and unharmed." He looks mainly to Victor "my head will be on a block if they're harmed in any way followed by the person responsible for it. Leave soon."

With that he left them to their own devices as they look through the pictures. Remy gasps as he looks at a picture of Rogue and Victor grins at a picture of Logan. They took the pictures and left afterwards.

* * *

**Sabretooth seeks out his rival, Wolverine alone as Gambit, Toad, Avalanche and Pietro pay the X-Men a visit. Avalanche is pissed about kidnapping his ex-girlfriend, Kitty a few days later. Same for Gambit and Rogue.**

**Logan was now walking the street with Peter, he was helping him get art supplies as well as a small hamper of groceries. Logan couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.**

"Hey Peter, you ever get the feeling yer being watched?" Logan asks abruptly as Peter chuckles slightly before noticing Logan was serious "Sometimes, but with you and Sabretooth's mutual hatred for one another-" He was cut off by Sabretooth himself "What happens between me and the runt is none of yer concern, Russian."

"Yeah, but what's it got to do with you and why're you here anyway, Sabretooth?" Logan snarls as Sabretooth snarls back with a smirk "I answer only to Magneto, runt and I've come fer you since yer so nosy" He pointed at Peter.

"Come on!" Sabretooth charges at Colossus as he is blocked by Wolverine who growls "Pete, run!"

Sabretooth throws Wolverine into a wall "I won't allow that, runt!" He wanted to beat on Logan but his target was the Russian who smartly ran, leaving Wolverine to deal with his rival.

Peter ran far for a while until he met Warren who smirked "What's your hurry, weren't you with Logan?" he asks as Sabretooth and Wolverine pounded each other nearby.

"Logan and Creed..." Peter said as they flew and Angel nodded. "That's mine, feathered freak!" Sabretooth charges and grounds Angel who lands with a grunt and a broken wing as he growled "sunuva..." before Sabretooth kicks him in the mouth "Get lost, loser."

He knocks Peter unconscious and flees with him as Logan finds Warren "No" he walks up to Angel "You alright, bub?" He grunts as Logan helps him to his feet carefully "Ow, that madman broke my wing and escaped with Piotr."

"Let's get you back to the mansion" Logan says as they make their way back to the mansion.

* * *

**Meanwhile, back at the mansion, the X-Men were fighting the Brotherhood minus Sabretooth outside the mansion.**

"Well hello there." Gambit smirks at Rogue who blushes slightly and growls "Ya gonna need more than sweet talkin' to get this southern girl, Gambit."

"Oh, is that so?" he smirks dodging a kick to the face "then why do ya always blush around me, darlin'?"

Gambit was inches from kissing Rogue when Kitty ran by "Excuse me" as she and Rogue phased right through him. Gambit forced himself not to get nasty with them but he truly dislikes that Kitty Pryde as he grabbed her by the back of her shirt and glared at her deeply "NEVER touch my béchamel, brat!"

He cornered Rogue "Sorry, darlin'." He knocked her and Kitty unconscious and tossed Kitty to Avalanche as he carried Rogue "Let's get outta here."

Jean tried to stop them "No" but Quicksilver kept her busy, letting the others escape before escaping himself.

Kurt shook with fear "Vhy did zey take Keety and my sister?"

"I don't know, Kurt" Jean held him close as she cried "but Logan will do back flips when he finds out what happened."

* * *

**Logan returns a few minutes later with the injured Warren to find the horror of a half destroyed mansion.**

"No" Logan shook with rage as he dragged Warren inside, ignoring his protests as he met the other X-Men in the kitchen with the Professor "What happened here?" he growled as he noticed Kurt crying to his surprise as he said "Zhey took Rogue and Keety from right out under us."

Logan was overwhelmed with guilt as he rests Warren down in the infirmary, he'd lost consciousness from the pain as Hank even cried for him "What happened to him and where's Peter?"

"Sabretooth took him...right out from under me" Wolverine held back his rage boiling up "When I find him, I'll kill him."

Jean eventually broke down to the sight of Warren's almost destroyed wing "Did Sabretooth do this?"

Logan takes a seat, clearly not wanting to hear that name again "This is my fault, I could've protected Peter...Angel from Sabretooth. That feind has gone too far this time. Way too far."

* * *

**The X-Men regroup to take care of the wounded and plan how to get back the lost, but back at the Brotherhood's place, the Brotherhood were looking over their catch.**

"Looks like you aren't as useless as I thought" Michael said as he made a personal appearance with his two bodyguards, who had the nerve to stare down Sabretooth who growls "and who might I ask should you be?"

"A collector of sorts, Magneto asked you to kidnap these so-called X-Men for me" Michael said as Sabretooth sniffs to confirm he was not lying which was harder than usual for him.

"Take them, boys and don't worry, they're in good hands as long as you get the others soon" Michael smirked with his eyes on Victor as he left.

**Victor swallowed a lump in his throat as for the first time in a long time, he was unsure about Magneto just handing their worst enemies and his rival over to this strange man.**

**A/N – That's it for 'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark' chapter 1, anyway. Can the X-Men save Peter, Rogue and Kitty from Michael Darkstone and what will Wolverine do when he learns Michael was responsible for the previous deaths? Will he tame the Wolverine's unbridled fury as well?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 2**

**Logan does the voice-over...**

_Previously on X-Men Evolution..._

**Sabretooth seeks out his rival, Wolverine alone as Gambit, Toad, Avalanche and Pietro pay the X-Men a visit. Avalanche is pissed about kidnapping his ex-girlfriend, Kitty a few days later. Same for Gambit and Rogue.**

**Logan was now walking the street with Peter, he was helping him get art supplies as well as a small hamper of groceries. Logan couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.**

"Hey Peter, you ever get the feeling yer being watched?" Logan asks abruptly as Peter chuckles slightly before noticing Logan was serious "Sometimes, but with you and Sabretooth's mutual hatred for one another-" He was cut off by Sabretooth himself "What happens between me and the runt is none of yer concern, Russian."

"Yeah, but what's it got to do with you and why're you here anyway, Sabretooth?" Logan snarls as Sabretooth snarls back with a smirk "I answer only to Magneto, runt and I've come fer you since yer so nosy" He pointed at Peter.

"Come on!" Sabretooth charges at Colossus as he is blocked by Wolverine who growls "Pete, run!"

Sabretooth throws Wolverine into a wall "I won't allow that, runt!" He wanted to beat on Logan but his target was the Russian who smartly ran, leaving Wolverine to deal with his rival.

Peter ran far for a while until he met Warren who smirked "What's your hurry, weren't you with Logan?" he asks as Sabretooth and Wolverine pounded each other nearby.

"Logan and Creed..." Peter said as they flew and Angel nodded. "That's mine, feathered freak!" Sabretooth charges and grounds Angel who lands with a grunt and a broken wing as he growled "sunuva..." before Sabretooth kicks him in the mouth "Get lost, loser."

He knocks Peter unconscious and flees with him as Logan finds Warren "No" he walks up to Angel "You alright, bub?" He grunts as Logan helps him to his feet carefully "Ow, that madman broke my wing and escaped with Piotr."

"Let's get you back to the mansion" Logan says as they make their way back to the mansion.

**Meanwhile, back at the mansion, the X-Men were fighting the Brotherhood minus Sabretooth outside the mansion.**

"Well hello there." Gambit smirks at Rogue who blushes slightly and growls "Ya gonna need more than sweet talkin' to get this southern girl, Gambit."

"Oh, is that so?" he smirks dodging a kick to the face "then why do ya always blush around me, darlin'?"

Gambit was inches from kissing Rogue when Kitty ran by "Excuse me" as she and Rogue phased right through him. Gambit forced himself not to get nasty with them but he truly dislikes that Kitty Pryde as he grabbed her by the back of her shirt and glared at her deeply "NEVER touch my béchamel, brat!"

He cornered Rogue "Sorry, darlin'." He knocked her and Kitty unconscious and tossed Kitty to Avalanche as he carried Rogue "Let's get outta here."

Jean tried to stop them "No" but Quicksilver kept her busy, letting the others escape before escaping himself.

Kurt shook with fear "Vhy did zey take Keety and my sister?"

"I don't know, Kurt" Jean held him close as she cried "but Logan will do back flips when he finds out what happened."

**Logan returns a few minutes later with the injured Warren to find the horror of a half destroyed mansion.**

"No" Logan shook with rage as he dragged Warren inside, ignoring his protests as he met the other X-Men in the kitchen with the Professor "What happened here?" he growled as he noticed Kurt crying to his surprise as he said "Zhey took Rogue and Keety from right out under us."

Logan was overwhelmed with guilt as he rests Warren down in the infirmary, he'd lost consciousness from the pain as Hank even cried for him "What happened to him and where's Peter?"

"Sabretooth took him...right out from under me" Wolverine held back his rage boiling up "When I find him, I'll kill him."

Jean eventually broke down to the sight of Warren's almost destroyed wing "Did Sabretooth do this?"

Logan takes a seat, clearly not wanting to hear that name again "This is my fault, I could've protected Peter...Angel from Sabretooth. That feind has gone too far this time. Way too far."

* * *

**...Now...**

**Logan paced around the large room full of the X-Men, he's still angry and a bit uneasy.**

"Logan" Xavier caught his attention as he looks at him "Huh?"

"This is all my fault, Chuck" Logan continued as Hank came up to him "I don't think so, Logan." He looked unnervingly calm for some reason "I think this may be bigger than the Brotherhood or us, I mean you're Sabretooth's main threat"

That was where Logan stops him "Don't go there, McCoy. What that mangy old Creed and I have goes way back. Personal stuff."

"You're not to blame, Logan" Jean smiles at him "we were caught off guard"

"Well that leaves three things to answer" Logan started "One, I know Victor Creed and this is too elaborate...even for him. Two, whoever Creed's answering to, it's not Magneto, obviously. Finally, three, whoever is in charge, both Creed and Magneto are deathly afraid of 'em. Right, Charles?"

The group enters the room where Cerebro is housed. "I think I can get a read on this person if they're a mutant, Logan. I just need a minute." Logan nods in understanding.

* * *

**Meanwhile, the X-Men were just coming to in cells at one of Michael's secret 'facilities'. They could see each other through the invisible walls but were unable to touch.**

Peter rubs his head where Sabretooth had hit him "Ugh, where am I?" He heard a snicker and looked around to Rogue "Was that you, Rogue?"

Rogue woke up and shook her head only to see a man staring at her, he was one of Michael's boys as he smiled evilly "Hey, cutie. Ya alright?" She looked away "Ugh, let me out of here!"

"No can do, hon" he said "The boss will have my head if I let his pets get free" He smirked as the door at the end of the hall and another man enters the room and growls "Hey! Stay away from our new pets!"

"Hey!" Rogue interrupts as everyone looks at her "Let me out, I'm nobody's pet!" Michael looks at her, he likes her "Hehehe, I'll change that soon enough and all I need is Weapon X or as he calls himself lately I hear, Wolverine."

The X-Men looks at them in absolute shock.

* * *

**Little did they know, Sabretooth was listening and when Michael and his men were gone. He then confronts the X-Men.**

Rogue glares at Sabretooth but still pretends to sleep until he taps the rails of her cell "Wake up, X-Brat. What do they want with the runt?"

The X-Men glare at him, especially Peter who growls "What do you care? You're the reason we're here."

Victor closes his eyes "I'll be honest here, I don't care much fer you, but I won't let them have the runt...he's not important to only you."

"Well, you have a plan?" Kitty asks as he nods "I'll lure the runt here and then deal with that Michael guy, I really hate him and I don't care what Magneto had to say about it. You won't be freed until then though."

* * *

**Everyone nods in agreement as Sabretooth leaves immediately to find Wolverine...speaking of which, Logan was actually looking for him so they find each other.**

Wolverine sniffs "Come out here, Creed, so I can rearrange that ugly mug of yours!" Sabretooth does as he is told and replies "I have a plan that you're a big part of, I haven't come for a fight...that's for later"

The two look at each other in silence "Fine, lead the way." Victor does as he is told again as he thinks _"Enjoy my loyalty fer now, runt cuz I don't know how long it'll last."_

Logan looks at Victor as he follows him as he thinks _"I don't know what he's up to, but if he's willing to even work with me then he must sure hate the guy Erik hired."_

**A/N – Victor makes an unexpected and unlikely truce with Logan in order to save the X-Men but can they do t alone before it's too late and is Michael planning to turn on Magneto? You'll just have to wait and see.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 3**

**I plan to bring others into this story, like a very, very peeved Mystique...not to mention, Michael will also get into a big fight with his very unhappy captives and Wolverine, escaping with his life as his lackeys are interrogated (with threats) by Logan.**

**Sabretooth does the voice-over...**

**_Previously on X-Men Evolution..._**

"No can do, hon" he said "The boss will have my head if I let his pets get free" He smirked as the door at the end of the hall and another man enters the room and growls "Hey! Stay away from our new pets!"

"Hey!" Rogue growled as everyone looks at her "Let me out, I'm nobody's pet!" Michael looks at her, he likes her "Hehehe, I'll change that soon enough and all I need is Weapon X or as he calls himself lately I hear, Wolverine."

The X-Men looks at them in absolute shock.

**Little did they know, Sabretooth was listening and when Michael and his men were gone. He then confronts the X-Men.**

Rogue glares at Sabretooth but still pretends to sleep until he taps the rails of her cell "Wake up, X-Brat. What do they want with the runt?"

The X-Men glare at him, especially Peter who growls "What do you care? You're the reason we're here."

Victor closes his eyes "I'll be honest here, I don't care much fer you, but I won't let them have the runt...he's not important to only you."

"Well, you have a plan?" Kitty asks as he nods "I'll lure the runt here and then deal with that Michael guy, I really hate him and I don't care what Magneto had to say about it. You won't be freed until then though."

Everyone nods in agreement as Sabretooth leaves immediately to find Wolverine...speaking of which, Logan was actually looking for him so they find each other.

Wolverine sniffs "Come out here, Creed, so I can rearrange that ugly mug of yours!" Sabretooth does as he is told and replies "I have a plan that you're a big part of, I haven't come for a fight...that's for later"

The two look at each other in silence "Fine, lead the way." Victor does as he is told again as he thinks 'Enjoy my loyalty fer now, runt cuz I don't know how long it'll last.'

Logan looks at Victor as he follows him as he thinks _'I don't know what he's up to, but if he's willing to even work with me then he must sure hate the guy Erik hired.'_

* * *

_**Now...**_

* * *

**Victor prowled throu****gh the forest, Logan following and watching him closely but cautiously.**

"So...tell me again" Logan grunted as he'd heard what this 'Michael' planned to do to his teammates and most of all, to him "this guy mentioned me by name and wants to own me?" He asked in a disgusted tone.

"Own 'us', runt" Victor corrected with a scowl as Logan raised an eyebrow "with you, and probably myself as well, on the top of his list, he thinks of other mutants only as pets for his sick nightmares and even sicker fantasies, not people"

That confirmed Logan's suspicions that Magneto truly didn't have much say in the matter, if any at all...not that it bothered him any less as he remained silent the rest of the way as Victor confirmed "We're almost there, be ready for anything...and I mean anything"

Logan only nodded and popped his adamantium claws as Michael's facility where he currently was with the X-Men came into view in the distance.

* * *

**At the facility, Michael was awaiting Victor's arrival and was not very patient about it, as he kept a keen eye on his captives.**

"Is Creed back yet?" Michael sat staring at Piotr coldly but with unnerving calm as the less vicious of his two men replied "No sign of him yet, boss"

"Hey, sweetheart..." The other man said looking back at Rogue as he sat leaning against the door of her cell "ready to play?" He grinned sadistically upon entering the cell, he was the size of Hulk compared to her but she decided to take her defiance up a notch growling "No...I ain't no sweetheart, so get...away...from me!" She screamed as he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand and she had nowhere to go as she was pinned against the wall.

Suddenly, no one saw Michael move but he came between the two, glaring coldly at his own lackey "take a seat,...the fun will start soon enough, with or without Sabertooth and Wolverine" looking at Rogue coldly over his shoulder, he grinned "how about 'Rogue' and I go find them, hm?"

He kicked the man in the chest knocking him back against the wall, he fell to the ground alive but in pain as the wind was just kicked out of him.

Michael then grabbed Rogue by the hair and arm deciding to leave, even if he had to drag her all the way there himself "come now, petite...we have a feral to find...the rest of you, make yourselves at home, mi casa es su casa!" He chuckled darkly, as if many of them had a choice.

Gambit leered at him from his corner, growing more bothered as he manhandled Rogue, making sure she fully submitted to him "hey" the Cajun interrupted "what about what we get...we didn't do this for free, y'know?"

"Simple: you sit tight here, shut your pie holes and wait for me to find a use for you or until I feel like you've outlived that usefulness to me...maybe you won't suffer a trip to Azeroth like I did" Michael was getting angry staring at Gambit long and hard before looking at the man he just punched remembering his last trip to the chaotic demon realm "come with me...keep her as close to ya as your own skin" he pushed Rogue roughly towards the man as he chuckled to himself putting an arm around her shoulder and sneering at Gambit "my pleasure...boss."

Remy was seething but the look of death Michael gave him made him unsure of what to do as Avalanche puts a hand on his shoulder "It's not worth it, we'll get them in due time"

**Remy tried to look reassured by that as he gave Rogue a sorry worried look.**

The three then left...meanwhile, with Victor, he'd caught onto the fact that Logan brought fellow X-Men Beast, Nightcrawler, Berserker, Spyke and was adamant that Jean and Scott came as well...he didn't argue as they'd need the telepath and all the help they can get.

"Ready to go get yer sister back, elf?" Logan looked at Kurt with no emotion as he nodded "then let's go-"

They were about to depart when three people left the facility and he heard Rogue scream, a man holding her with a look of seduction that disgusted Sabretooth, Kurt and Logan. Beside the two, Michael stood with a smirk at Victor and Logan.

"Welcome home, Weapon X" he raised both his arms as Logan replies "already got a home, bub, and it ain't here" he felt strange around this man, even from a distance. He sniffed the man's scent on the breeze and snarled, as Michael smelled like death.

Jean looked at Michael's crystal blue eyes, light tanned Caucasian skin and light blond hair in a short ponytail and decided to keep her thoughts of his dazzling appearance to herself, accidentally sending it to Victor's mind as he looked at her and rolled his eyes "you cannot be serious, frail"

"Rogue" Kurt yelled as Michael got between them "don't get any ideas, son, she is in capable hands...mine"

"Rogue" Kurt made his way towards Michael, who stood between him and his sister as Michael grabs him by the neck, taking a closer look at him "I swear...I've seen you before...you remind me of a certain demon mutant I hate called Azazel, only his skin was red not blue"

"Azazel?" Kurt asks "who is Azazel?" as Victor growled "he's a powerful teleporter and expert assassin...don't know if he has kids but yer his spittin' image"

"You know who this guy's talking about?" Spyke queries as Creed nods "I know of him, but I don't know if he had any cubs of his own but nevertheless, he wasn't a mutant you wanted to get on the bad side of and as I said, he did resemble Wagner...from head to tail"

"How fun..." Michael said with a smirk "...he never learned who his father really was-oops, is" he corrected himself as Kurt felt a hand touch his shoulder.

"Son?" A gloomy voice said as Kurt turned to see Azazel standing behind him with his hand extended, though it wasn't real "who are you?" Kurt said terrified as a man stood before him looking just like him, only a foot taller, perfect hair and he had red skin, grey eyes and a tail just like Kurt.

"Get away from me!" Kurt said teleporting away as 'Azazel' did the same "who do you really think you got the ability to teleport from...Mystique?!" He scoffed "hardly...she's only able to use my powers if she becomes you or me...I have an army for you to take command of, it's your destiny" he kept his hand extended.

**Logan was speechless as Kurt teleported around the area, trying to evade the red demon that really did look like he did.**

A shadow began to spread from Michael, then it hit him from the dead teens he saw "You..." Logan clenched his fists tightly as he shook making his way over to Michael "Y-you're the one responsible for the deaths of those teenagers?!" Logan could only smell death and human organs from this man and it made him mentally and physically sick as he fought the urge to vomit.

"Figured that out already?" Michael admitted "yes, I killed them but they were mine to begin with...I could've done whatever my heart desired with them"

Logan flinched and gritted his teeth "now...that just fuckin' tears it!" He and Sabertooth flew towards Michael who got ready.

Another Jean appeared before Jean "your helpless...you'll never control your powers...that monster inside" Jean growled "big mistake pissing off the telepath" as she poured all her power into focussing on nothing in particular other than that her double was lying then cleared her mind, her fear dissipating.

**That didn't go unnoticed by anyone, including Michael and his lackey who gripped Rogue's arm.**

Berzerker's fear was that he saw everyone, Michael, Sabretooth and Wolverine included, dead and could do nothing about it but fall to his knees and cry, clutching his head

Victor cornered the smaller man who looked at him emotionlessly "So, yer a demon, huh?" He chuckled, cracking his knuckles "I'll enjoy this then"

He swung his claws as Michael side stepped it "I never said I was a demon now, did I, pet?"

"Yield, runt" he hit an oncoming Wolverine spreading him out on the ground, before he got up even angrier "you'd best save your energy...I can't have you tucker out before I get to finishing my plans for you"

He then punched Sabertooth in the gut, forcing him to his knees as his fear came to light...his own father, who unlike Kurt's almost accomplished killing him as a child, though Logan obviously doesn't remember.

The feral was trembling as Logan had wide eyes "No..." He whispered to himself out loud as a man, about Victor's age appeared, almost mirroring Victor with the same hate-filled slit ember eyes that Victor would only admit to him that he feared.

"Useless little fool!" The man screamed at Victor, even Logan didn't have the nerve to speak to him like that...they never spoke to each other nicely but nevertheless, this was abuse.

"After all this time, still weak and useless" the man stood right before Victor who wouldn't dare move as he opened his mouth to speak only to be interrupted by a booted foot to the side of his head "Shut up!"

Victor fell to the side, knocked unconscious as the strange man disappeared.

Michael approached the frozen Wolverine with a maddened grin "your turn..."

But as he reached for Logan, he thought enough was enough as he spun, giving him an X-shaped slash on his chest before kicking him across the face, screaming with rage. That made all the other materialized fears disappear.

Logan just stood there, one glace at the man holding Rogue was enough to make him let go as he gestured for Rogue to come to his side which she did...Michael took that chance to drag Victor and nab Kurt away as Logan was distracted.

Michael made his way inside as he tossed Victor and Kurt to the lackey "We're leaving" he was pissed but grinned at Piotr, entering his cell and looking at him sleep "he has some nerve sleeping here...we take one more for the road"

He knocked Piotr out before he could make a move and proceeded to drag him out of the cell, lifting him over his shoulder "We leave the rest behind..."

The three proceed to leave as his less sane of the two other than Michael asked "what about my little sweetheart, Anna-Marie?" He snickered glancing back to see Logan hugging Rogue through the window.

Logan's eyes glaring at them full of hate as Michael scowled, he hated losing "we'll get her in due time...and Logan...but we should leave now"

**The three left as the X-Men return to the mansion and Logan met with Xavier later that evening, unable to sleep.**

Little did they know, someone saw the whole scene as his light grey eyes looked at Michael with Kurt...rage sparked in him but he knew he'd have his chance. Azazel...the real, live, very pissed right now Azazel was watching, he was ready to intervene and kill Kurt, but Michael got a hold of the boy's fear and took him from these 'X-Men'

He then glanced at Logan holding his terrified half-daughter, Rogue and narrowed his eyes thinking 'these two...Michael is after them, I must keep my eye on them' he then teleported away in a puff of sulphur.

* * *

**Back at the mansion...**

"You should be getting some rest, Logan...you'll need it" Xavier said as Logan entered the room "I have some questions first...about what Sabretooth told me"

Xavier turned to Logan as he continued "That man...Michael, he called himself, is the one responsible fer those murders."

"Michael?" Xavier said, voice full of fear "you said you suspected that he was behind the deaths of those young mutants...with the likeness of Jean and Peter"

Logan nodded, noting the hidden fear in the other man's voice "I saw the scene of their deaths...I've seen Sabertooth kill before only once, but this...this was certain death, as if he was trying to send a message" Logan stopped, those deaths still sickened him "I didn't sense Creed anywhere near there either, plus he told me himself he wasn't responsible" he remained silent for a moment, worry evident on his face.

"Logan, can you get a hold of Laura again?" Xavier asks as Logan gave the man a warning look "X-23...yeah, I can onto get her, but why?" Logan, unlike Charles, saw what Michael was capable of without even trying and his daughter was NOT getting within two miles of this man if he had anything to say about it.

"I hope you know, I don't want to put her...or any of you in any unnecessary danger but with her skills..." He was interrupted by the doorbell.

Logan turned "who the hell could that be at this hour?" He asked himself going to the door as the banging increased "I'm comin'!" the feral barked but that only made their late night visitor angrier, threatening to knock the door down.

At the door, Logan was met by an infuriated Mystique as she snarled "where are my children, Logan?!" Logan shot her an incredulous look as he raised an eyebrow, ready to slam the door hard on her.

"Rogue...she's upstairs sleeping" Logan growled grumpily, he wasn't in the mood to act like he needed the likes of her around him right now "but Kurt...he and Pete's been kidnapped" he said with forced calm.

In her anger, Mystique took the form of Cain Marko, the Juggernaut "he's been what?!"

Logan's nails scratched the door he was holding as she returned to her normal form "some fuckin' mother you are, try to kill yer own children then you suddenly 'care' now?!" Logan barked at her, Xavier came up behind him but made no attempt to stop him as he know it was bound to happen sooner or later, Logan was far less patient than he was.

Logan had been silent when she revealed she was the mother of Kurt and Rogue and yet again when she still kept trying to kill them, but this...this was the last goddamn straw.

"Look, I'm gonna make sure they're safe and sound personally" Logan got right up in her face "but I'll say this to ya ONLY ONCE, don't you dare come back here makin' threats and demands of me to see either of them EVER...cuz unless they make it clear to me that they truly want to see ya again, I'll make sure ya NEVER see 'em again!"

"What?" Raven asked, gravely underestimating just how pissed Logan was at this moment "you have no right to keep my own children from me!"

Logan's fist pounded the doorframe in frustration causing both Xavier and Mystique to flinch as his blue eyes widened "I'm done talkin', wanna blame someone fer Kurt bein' in the hands of a serial killer, blame the person who hired him in the first damn place, Magneto!"

"Erik?" She gasped as Logan nodded and continued "Now if ya don't mind...don't be here next time I open this door or I'll make ya regret it" he popped his claws "...very dearly" he then slammed the door in her face full strength and walked past Xavier who was still silent as they both went to bed "I know, Chuck...but she was askin' fer it and had no right getting up in my face with her bull."

* * *

**Elsewhere, Michael and company made it to another of his secret warehouses...he liked his catch, as he chained up both Creed and Piotr, but some somethings were still bothering him.**

His sadistic lackey came in, Kurt (in his image inducer disguise) clutched under his arm as he watched "What do you want?" Michael didn't bother glancing back as he smirked "I think I found something you're gonna hate...really hate"

Michael glared at him, he didn't need any more things he didn't like right now as he growled "tell me, is this some kind of joke?" He glared at the man "anything else to get me angry will come out of your hide!"

"Take a look at this first" the man chuckled touching a button on Kurt's watch, revealing his blue skin and mutant features...Michael froze in an involuntary shiver as the man looked worried, hoping Michael wasn't going to turn his rage on him "b-boss?"

"You can have him to yourself...for losing Rogue" Michael said tossing some rope to the man as he chuckled wickedly "Okay, I'll try not to kill this one for as long as possible" he left afterward.

**A while later Sabertooth came to, hearing the sound of Piotr screaming as Michael interrogated him but quickly shut his eyes to fake still being unconscious.**

"Now, tell me..." Michael said as he held up a branding iron and laid the shirtless tied up Colossus on his stomach, still in chains "Where. Is. My Wolverine?!"

"I'll never tell you anything" Peter said as Michael tilted his head "...Oh yeah?"

"I guess I'll just have to make ya talk then?" Michael mused "so be it then..." He pressed the red hot branding iron onto Colossus' back as he writhed, begged and screamed in agony but could barely move at all, let alone to avoid it.

After an hour, Michael stops "This is only the tip - of the tip - of the iceberg of what I can and will do if I don't get what I want, so ready to talk now?" He said in Rasputin's ear as he said forcefully "D-da, I will talk" in Russian.

"You think I can't understand Russian..." Michael growled "I know 16 human languages, Russian included, and 5 that are non-human"

"He went back to the Xavier Institute and when he finds out what you did...you'll pay" He gave a dark stare, almost sorry for what Logan will do...almost.

"What I did, you say?" Michael smirked "Oh, I haven't done a thing yet, so I'm far from through with you" he passed the branding iron close to his face without touching him.

Michael thought back to when he first met Magneto (and Xavier though he can't recall much of him)

* * *

**_Flashback start_**

_Michael was a 16 year old young boy with one of the most unusual but powerful mutations Charles Xavier's ever come across...that is why he enlisted the help of his former best friend, Magneto._

_Michael was homeschooled since the age of 10 when his X-Gene first manifested when his father secretly caught him practicing one of his latent abilities, shadow manipulation. He noticed a change in his father from then on, as mutants aren't as plentiful yet but his father despised them more than anything...despised but feared him more than anything._

_He first noticed it when his mother, who usually homeschooled him, was out late one day running errands and he was left with his father "Michael, get in here!" He was the kindest man to Michael's mother but an absolute terror to him, as unkind and scary as any monster._

_"Coming, father" Xavier and Magneto watched the public interaction between father and son as the man grabbed the boy by the collar "get me my dinner and make it snappy, freak" he threw the boy back as he hit the ground hard but his father only sneered, hearing a crack in the young man's back._

_This was pissing Erik off and horrifying Xavier who was the only one that could read the boy's pain filled mind._

_"That is why humans and mutants can never coexist" Erik spat angrily, glancing at Xavier, who seemed far too calm about this "Charles, why are you so calm about this?"_

_"I'm not" Xavier said "shall we speak to him now, before you have to throw a car at the father or I have to switch his mind with that of a mouse?"_

_"Go on...I might throw a garbage truck" Erik nodded as the young man came their way and Xavier smiled_

_"Excuse me, but is that man your father?" Xavier asks Michael as he nods respectfully "yes, sir...but he only sees me as a mutant freak that doesn't deserve to live...he hates 'my kind' as he calls me and when my mother isn't around, treats me worst than dirt."_

_Erik narrowed his eyes glaring at the man as he listened to this "then why not just run away?" He suggested looking at Michael "join the brotherhood, where you can use you power free of prejudice against anyone who got in your way"_

_"Or" Xavier glanced at Erik before smiling calmly at Michael "You could join the X-Men...go to school and actually make some friends"_

_Michael looked back at his father...it wasn't unusual that he'd be ignored then to the two men "I'll think about it, but for now I'll stay with my family...they're all I have in this world"_

_Xavier was a bit bothered by this but remained silent, nodding again "If that is what you wish..."_

_A woman, with light blonde hair like Michael entered and he seem overjoyed compared to being alone with the cold, stoic man his father was, Magneto took notice of this, planning to make Michael see things his way rather than Xavier's._

_"We must go now" he places his hand on Xavier's shoulder, startling him for a second as he replied "I get the feeling this boy is a more powerful a mutant that even he knows"_

_Years later, when Michael was 25 and worked for Hydra, he came across something that will change his life forever, a demonite gemstone or demon stone depending on what people would call it...a rare demonic relic that is said never to be touched by mortal hands and he couldn't read the inscriptions...little did he know, the rightful owner was currently on his way to get it. Not that he cared though._

_He seized the tablet-like relic, it glowed a feint purple and he attempted to read it again and forms that he could._

_But he was too late, as a man dressed finely in clothes Michael couldn't hope to afford teleported before him._

_Michael thought he was just a regular everyday mutant until he saw the red skin and the spade tipped prehensile tail and he raised his head in his crouched form to look at him emotionlessly with those eternal grey eyes._

_The two shared no words as the man rose to stand and extended his hand, wanting his property._

_His greed taking hold, Michael held the artifact to his chest "finders keepers" he grinned darkly and turned to run in the opposite direction to find the demon in his way yet again, only this time within a breath's distance of him._

_"Why do mortals always seek things that are beyond their understanding?" He asked cryptically as Michael gave a confused look "give me my artifact and maybe, your death will be swift...I've fought too hard to get this back and I grow tired of you human pests!"_

_"Who the fuck are you to call me a pest?" Michael accused boldly as the demon scowled before grinning madly "I...I am Azazel" the demon, now named Azazel said before his tail grabbed Michael by the ankle and held him upside down "you have no intention of returning my artifact, do you?"_

_"Never!" Michael answered as Azazel whipped him around, breaking trees, rocks in his path then looking at him again "So be it..." He snarled softly raising his hand as a rip in the dimensional fabric appeared._

_He stepped through the portal into one of the worst of the many dimensions that belonged to him, Azeroth._

_The air here was strangling to Michael, the mortal, as the sky was a menacing obsidian hue._

_He was dragged through the demonic wasteland "What d-do you plan to do to me?" He asked as Azazel leered at him, his emotionless eyes unnervingly serious "I plan to kill you...more than once then give you a little gift to take back to the mortal realm"_

_So said, so done...Michael was tortured for so long that he forgot that he wasn't from this dimension and it was utterly pointless to guess how long he'd been here or will be here as time progressed much slower in this world than the human world._

_After dying approximately 60 times at the hands of Azazel's weaker demons, who still proved to be very powerful and trapped in solitude, which he didn't mind as it separated him from those nightmarish and infernal beings, Azazel made a personal visit to his prisoner._

_**However, that didn't scare Michael as much as the red demon was not alone...accompanied by not one, but six immensely powerful demons from this and five other realms under Azazel's rule...all male and all had their own nasty way of breaking and killing the insolent mortal, which Azazel allowed them to do.**_

_"Azuri, Demodon, Xarix, Midaelis, Maxidan, Omaris...are you ready?" Azazel asked the demons as the six bowed on one knee before him._

_"Of course, my liege" Demodon, a large fire and rock demon and the largest of the six said in a gravelly grumble voice, his four arms before him armed with five razor sharp, talon like fingers._

_Azuri, a demon that tended to like being by himself stood at a window looking down on the enslaved souls and weaker than them demons below "Master...do we get to visit the snarky one's realm as well?" He said referring to a foul mouthed Michael as if he wasn't there, his black body looking like it was forged in the flames of Hades itself and his cold stare in his orange eyes as small parts of his body opened and closed revealing orange flames. Azazel smiled wickedly and even chuckled, which was rare even here as he muttered something in an unknown language under his breath causing Michael to raise an eyebrow...apparently the only one who could understand the Demon Lord's language, a result of his several deaths._

_"Yes, Azuri" Azazel said "This one will be your vessel in the mortal world" Michael perked "wait...what?!"_

_Maxidan, a large humanoid, greedy dog-like demon scowled "So, why were we all called here if only Azuri was to get the human meat bag?" He wrinkled his nose "I want a piece of the juicy meat puppet, too!"_

_Azazel put his hand on Maxidan's head to calm him "do not interrupt me or I'll make you MY meat puppet!" Maxidan's ears went down as Michael shivered._

_"Heh" Omaris, a golden Asura demon worth six arms making different hand signs, his serene face morphing into a terrifying one, laughing at Maxidan's expense "We shall continue torturing the human, but what of Doctor Strange, master, he will try to expunge us should we cross paths with him?"_

_"I am not his enemy, that idiot Dormmamu is" Azazel said, a wicked look in his eye as he grabbed Michael by the ear, causing him to scream and the demons to chuckle "but just in case..." He touched Michael's chest, a seal forming on his chest painfully as he forced himself to breathe "this seal will prevent ANYONE other than myself from removing your souls from his without killing him"_

_Xarix, a purely evil humanoid wolf demon that truly loved when his master hurt the human chuckled darkly "scream, human cub..." He held Michael's face with one clawed hand while scarring his face with the sharp claw of the other, though his time in the hellish realm caused it to heal rapidly "for your punishment has yet to begin."_

_"Let it begin..." Azazel said and with a snap of his finger, the demons in the room turned into black smoke and forced their way into his mouth and entered his body._

_Michael was in unimaginable pain, enough that he could fall unconscious but his own body (and the demons within) seem to have other plans._

_Azazel grew sick of watching, forcing him to stand on his suddenly stringy legs "don't fall now...I hope you know I'm not through with you, but if you stay here any longer you'll be dead in less than an hour" Azazel growled in his ear before whispering "and I...can't...have that...just yet"_

_"Please...I beg of you" Michael begged yet again "have mercy"_

_Azazel looked him in the eye "No...Au Revoir" he threw the man through the portal as it opened before him and closed behind him._

_A month passed and already Michael could feel his power growing, despite the uncomfortableness of the demons moving under his skin, making sure he never forgot their presence as he looked at his shadow, all six of them, as they fused into one solid black shadow, making him shudder with fear...and rage._

_This was where he grew up...and where his father last attempted to kill him as his mother watched helplessly._

_"Father..." He said feeling no emotion and that a demon may be moving his lips against his will "I'm coming home..."_

_Michael returned to his childhood home and kicked the door in, startling the hell out of his mother but not his father as shadow tentacles waved around him with a life all their own._

_"Michael?" His mother said in shock, she was devastated when her only son ran off while her husband seemed overjoyed that her freak son was gone._

_"Don't touch me!" Maxidan snapped through Michael startling his mother and gaining his father's attention, knowing him as a reserved child who never snapped at anyone like that._

_"You alright, son?" His father asked not moving an inch in his seat as Michael, now with all six demons speaking through him, glared furiously at him "I am NOT your son!"_

_The shadows grabbed the mother by the neck, as the father came to her rescue only to be grabbed by the neck as well._

_Michael pleaded with the demons in tears "Please, spare them...I don't care what happens to me"_

_'No...they must pay' Michael heard his own voice in his mind say as he himself said, enraged "What the fuck did you say, you fucking monsters?!"_

_"Be at ease, human called Michael" said Omaris chuckling "that was not us...It was you" as he was having a laugh riot with the other demons "I'm beginning to like you as much as master does, kid"_

_Suddenly whatever spoke to him earlier before Omaris' rude interruption was back and Michael felt it "Who are you?"_

_The voice was silent, though something was drowning out the demons' laughter and glee "Who am I?" Michael's voice asked "you've known me your whole life, but abandoned me so you could live life 'normally' as you put it...I...AM...YOU and I'm not going anywhere this time." He was what Xavier sensed faintly upon entering his mind when they'd first met and Michael's dark side._

_Michael went blank with rage, piercing his parents' hearts with the shadows and watching them die._

_He left...but stopped outside._

_He could feel the light and dark magic in the air. He was being watched, as Xavier and one of his best friends appeared, Dr. Strange, who could feel the power of each demon appeared and looked at Michael "...Is this Dormammu's doing?" Michael flinched as he continues "I can feel them...so very powerful"_

_"This doesn't seem as something you know Dormammu for doing, does it?" Xavier asked as Strange shot back "no...but I'd put nothing past what he would do to earn his freedom...I shall perform an exorcism"_

_A seal formed around Michael as he smiled and broke it easily "You trying to take me out of my meat puppet?" Xarix grinned "Try harder!"_

_A seal appeared on Michael, burning him immensely "Strange?" He seemed in control again, he must warn them "please, stop...I'll die if you remove the demons, it was not Dormammu!"_

_"What?" Strange could've sworn he heard him say it wasn't Dormammu's doing as he sensed a total of six demons, powerful demon "Who could've done this, if not Dormammu?"_

_"It...was..." Michael grinned maniacally but weakly "that red freak, Azazel...you've been watching, haven't you?"_

_"Azazel, you say?" Strange said with shock and a little fear, making Xavier cautious._

_"Charles Xavier..." Azazel materialized on the roof as the two were in shock "No need to look so shocked...I am not here to stop what you think you're doing but there is no way of removing my six demons from this man without killing him. Only I can." Michael shuddered at the red skinned demon's touch "you should teach him to not meddle in the affairs of a Demon Lord and not to touch what isn't his."_

_"How dare you lay hands on a human of this realm-" Strange spat angrily but Azazel interrupted "under your protection...don't make me laugh. You can't even protect this realm from the influence of the imprisoned Dormammu!"_

_"Point taken" Strange said "so that's the reason for such powerful demons..." He mused to himself_

_Azazel disappeared, phasing through the ground beneath him as his dark chuckle echoed "Ta-ta, Michael Darkstone...you'd do best to serve me well" his stare gave Michael goosebumps as he was gone and his dark side replied in his head 'yes, master.'_

**_A paralysis spell still inhibited Michael's movement but the demons made him resistant, if only a little._**

_"Hold him still..." Xavier said as Stephen Strange nodded and they both focused._

_Xavier forced his way into Michael screamed, both him and the six demons fighting hard to push him out, he erased any memory of Michael ever meeting him before being forced out as Michael screamed._

_"Are we done here?" Dr. Strange asks, ready to be done with this as Xavier breathed hard and gathered his thoughts nodding "Yes, we are."_

_Strange freed Michael and they teleported away before his shadow could ensnare theirs or rip their heads off. Michael screamed, going completely berzerk._

_He touched the seal "I'll make sure you're never able to rip me and these demons apart...Azazel, you son of a bitch" he said to himself with a wicked chuckle "you hear me?"_

**_Flashback end..._**

* * *

**Peter was unconscious, Michael couldn't have fun if his victim couldn't scream, so he turned to Victor.**

"Enjoy the show as much as I did, Victor Creed?" He asked knowing he was awake, Victor kept his eyes shut as he snarled "Yer a sick bastard...you think the runt will come because you have me?" Victor scoffed "you failed to realize that we don't exactly like each other very much, if at all."

Michael shuddered as Victor opened his eyes with a pitiful glance, he'd sealed the demons deeper within himself so far that even their master couldn't reach them now but still felt them trying to literally claw their way back to the surface "Shut up, you have no idea what I've been through...but soon enough you will and no, I won't torture you...just yet."

Michael's lackey looked at Kurt sleep "huh, he has some nerve sleeping around someone like the boss...but why did he act like that around this blue kid?" He was both curious and cautious.

He then snatched the Image Inducer and sneered at Kurt, pocketing the device and making sure Michael wasn't watching "I guess ya won't be needing this anymore then..."

* * *

**Meanwhile, the X-Men get a scary new visitor...**

There was a knock at the door as Logan scowls, hoping that it isn't Mystique again "I'm comin'..." He grunted calmly.

He saw something he never expected when he opened the door, Azazel as he glared at him, looking him up and down "Who the French fries are you?" He tried not to use his usual course language as the Professor scolded him after what he did to Mystique, even though he was very much justified.

"I am Azazel" Azazel said "and I've come to see my son"

Logan twitched, looking at him in silence before slamming the door and stalking away cussing under his breath.

"Very big mistake..." Azazel growled outside the door as Logan's eyes widened.

Xavier was in his office when he heard Logan scream "Logan?" He called cautiously but got no answer though he could sense Logan was still alive.

Azazel walked in, carrying Logan by the neck with his tail as he looked around then to Xavier "I'll ask again...only...once" he put a picture of a baby Kurt on his desk "Where is my son?!" He tossed Logan into a chair before he strangled him as the feral glared at him dangerously.

"Is your son Kurt Wagner?" Xavier smartly asked as Azazel only nodded, Logan giving him a curious look...if he'd abandoned Kurt as well like Mystique, they'd need to have a very serious talk.

"Yer...Kurt's father?!" Logan got to his feet popping his claws and very disturbed as Azazel looks at him from the corner of his eye "Is that a problem?" He said with no emotion whatsoever.

"Is that a problem?!" Logan snapped back, knowing Kurt never spoke of his father...if he knew who his father was to begin with "you sorry, ugly mother-!"

"Logan!" Xavier interrupted as both were ready to tear each other's throats out "see if you can get ahold of X-23 again."

Logan glared at Azazel "yeah yeah, Chuck...I got my eye on you fer sure, bub." Azazel nods "As you mortals say, whatever rows your boat...bub" he smirked as Logan's eye twitched in held back fury.

**Logan walks out of the room, leaving Azazel with Xavier...as soon as he's out of earshot of Xavier, he goes a bit further for Azazel's sake, he trusted him just about as much as he likes Michael.**

**As he's about to call Laura, though, it rings...it's Laura.**

"Logan?" X-23 answers on the other line, Logan smiled...he'd missed his daughter/clone since her departure from the mansion "I got your message and missed call, sorry I couldn't answer..."

"That's not a problem..." Logan said "when can ya get here, darlin'?"

"I'll be there tomorrow..." X-23 remained silent as a sign that she was quite worried about Logan as he caught on and said "that's good...and you needn't worry about me"

She was still silent for a moment "If you say so...see ya." She hung up.

Logan growled under his breath as he was seemingly alone...but he knew otherwise "seriously...what is wrong with Kurt's fucked up relatives just popping up so much lately?" He snarled under his breath and turned and took a hasty step back as Azazel was right up in his face.

"Logan, was it?" He asked picking his fingernails "why do I get the feeling that you hate me?"

Logan remained silent "I'm not answering the man that abandoned my friend...Lord Azazel" he said calmer.

Suddenly, Logan found himself pinned to the wall by his throat "try me..."

Logan looked at Azazel, enraged "you don't know what she's been doin' to them, do ya?" He said more than asked as Azazel raised an eyebrow and puts him down as he fixed his shirt "Look fer me in the garage if ya really want to know what Mystique's done to tick...me...off" Logan then walked off.

Azazel looked at him for a moment "why does hearing of something Mystique's done always leave me so uneasy?" He asked himself with a sigh.

**A/N - Well that's the third chapter...but what does Azazel suddenly want with Kurt, his son, and what will the X-Men, especially Logan, do when they find out what he did to Michael?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 4**

**Azazel does the voice-over...**

**Previously on X-Men Evolution...**

Logan turned "who the hell could that be at this hour?" He asked himself going to the door as the banging increased "I'm comin'!" the feral barked but that only made their late night visitor angrier, threatening to knock the door down.

At the door, Logan was met by an infuriated Mystique as she snarled "where are my children, Logan?!" Logan shot her an incredulous look as he raised an eyebrow, ready to slam the door hard on her.

"Rogue...she's upstairs sleeping" Logan growled grumpily, he wasn't in the mood to act like he needed the likes of her around him right now "but Kurt...he and Pete's been kidnapped" he said with forced calm.

In her anger, Mystique took the form of Cain Marko, the Juggernaut "he's been what?!"

Logan's nails scratched the door he was holding as she returned to her normal form "some fuckin' mother you are, try to kill yer own children then you suddenly 'care' now?!" Logan barked at her, Xavier came up behind him but made no attempt to stop him.

Logan had been silent when she revealed she was the mother of Kurt and Rogue and yet again when she still kept trying to kill them, but this...this was the last goddamn straw.

"Look, I'm gonna make sure they're safe and sound personally" Logan got right up in her face "but I'll say this to ya ONLY ONCE, don't you dare come back here makin' threats and demands of me to see either of them EVER...cuz unless they make it clear to me that they truly want to see ya again, I'll make sure ya NEVER see 'em again!"

"What?" Raven asked, gravely underestimating just how pissed Logan was at this moment "you have no right to keep my own children from me!"

Logan's fist pounded the doorframe in frustration causing both Xavier and Mystique to flinch as his blue eyes widened "I'm done talkin', wanna blame someone fer Kurt bein' in the hands of a serial killer, blame the person who hired him in the first damn place, Magneto!"

"Erik?" She gasped as Logan nodded and continued "Now if ya don't mind...don't be here next time I open this door or I'll make ya regret it" he popped his claws "...very dearly" he then slammed the door in her face full strength and walked past Xavier who was still silent as they both went to bed "I know, Chuck...but she was askin' fer it and had no right getting up in my face with her bull."

* * *

**Meanwhile, the X-Men get a scary new visitor...**

There was a knock at the door as Logan scowls, hoping that it isn't Mystique again "I'm comin'..." He grunted calmly.

He saw something he never expected when he opened the door, Azazel as he glared at him, looking him up and down "Who the French fries are you?" He tried not to use his usual course language as the Professor scolded him after what he did to Mystique, even though he was very much justified.

"I am Azazel" Azazel said "and I've come to see my son"

**Logan twitched, looking at him in silence before slamming the door and stalking away cussing under his breath.**

"Very big mistake..." Azazel growled outside the door as Logan's eyes widened.

Xavier was in his office when he heard Logan scream "Logan?" He called cautiously but got no answer though he could sense Logan was still alive.

Azazel walked in, carrying Logan by the neck with his tail as he looked around then to Xavier "I'll ask again...only...once" he put a picture of a baby Kurt on his desk "Where is my son?!" He tossed Logan into a chair before he strangled him as the feral glared at him dangerously.

"Is your son Kurt Wagner?" Xavier smartly asked as Azazel only nodded, Logan giving him a curious look...if he'd abandoned Kurt as well like Mystique, they'd need to have a very serious talk.

"Yer...Kurt's father?!" Logan got to his feet popping his claws and very disturbed as Azazel looks at him from the corner of his eye "Is that a problem?" He said with no emotion whatsoever.

"Is that a problem?!" Logan snapped back, knowing Kurt never spoke of his father...if he knew who his father was to begin with "you sorry, ugly mother-!"

"Logan!" Xavier interrupted as both were ready to tear each other's throats out "see if you can get ahold of X-23 again."

Logan glared at Azazel "yeah yeah, Chuck...I got my eye on you fer sure, bub." Azazel nods "As you mortals say, whatever rows your boat...bub" he smirked as Logan's eye twitched in held back fury.

**Logan walks out of the room, leaving Azazel with Xavier...as soon as he's out of earshot of Xavier, he goes a bit further for Azazel's sake, he trusted him just about as much as he likes Michael.**

**As he's about to call Laura, though, it rings...it's Laura.**

"Logan?" X-23 answers on the other line, Logan smiled...he'd missed his daughter/clone since her departure from the mansion "I got your message and missed call, sorry I couldn't answer..."

"That's not a problem..." Logan said "when can ya get here, darlin'?"

"I'll be there tomorrow..." X-23 remained silent as a sign that she was quite worried about Logan as he caught on and said "that's good...and you needn't worry about me"

She was still silent for a moment "If you say so...see ya." She hung up.

Logan growled under his breath as he was seemingly alone...but he knew otherwise "seriously...what is wrong with Kurt's fucked up relatives just popping up so much lately?" He snarled under his breath and turned and took a hasty step back as Azazel was right up in his face.

"Logan, was it?" He asked picking his fingernails "why do I get the feeling that you hate me?"

Logan remained silent "I'm not answering the man that abandoned my friend...Lord Azazel" he said calmer.

Suddenly, Logan found himself pinned to the wall by his throat "try me..."

Logan looked at Azazel, enraged "you don't know what she's been doin' to them, do ya?" He said more than asked as Azazel raised an eyebrow and puts him down as he fixed his shirt "Look fer me in the garage if ya really want to know what Mystique's done to tick...me...off" Logan then walked off.

Azazel looked at him for a moment "why does hearing of something Mystique's done always leave me so uneasy?" He asked himself with a sigh.

* * *

**_Now..._**

* * *

Logan was fixing and tuning his beloved bike, grumbling to himself until he saw Azazel come in as he walked out to the kitchen...with Azazel like the annoying roach he is, following him.

Logan smiles "you sure you can take what she's done, bub?" He asked "I know this is something ya need to know and would find out even if I don't tell ya but..."

"You wouldn't have brought it up as soon as you knew I was Kurt's father if it weren't important" Azazel interrupted as Logan frowned then shrugged "where do I start...ah, the school Kurt and the other teens that live here go to."

Azazel grabbed Logan, teleporting him back to his bike as he said with narrowed eyes "go on..."

"Just so she could keep tabs on 'em, she became the school's principal to recruit the Acolytes for Magneto...Rogue ended up bein' one of them"

"What makes these 'Acolytes' so different from you X-Men?" Azazel just had to ask, curious as to why they thought Rogue was not meant to be one of them.

"Xavier should've told ya this...not me" Logan growled as bit "the X-Men, us, want peace between humanity and mutants, while the Brotherhood of Evil...or the Acolytes, use their powers publicly to attack or scare humans, who they believe fer some stupid reason are beneath them"

"...and Mystique, she's one of them?" Azazel asked as Logan nodded while not looking at Azazel "Bingo, she knew during Apocolypse's reawakening, because of her, that they were her cubs but still attempted to destroy us all, betraying the Brotherhood to do so..."

Azazel's hand rested on Logan's bike as his touch scorched the seat "when I get my hands on her..." He snarled "how dare her harm my heirs?!"

Logan smells something burning and whacked Azazel's toes with his wrench "Hey, don't take yer fury out on my bike, take it out on Raven!" He snapped back angrily before rolling out of the way before Azazel could stomp his head.

**In Rogue and Kitty's room, Rogue woke up and went downstairs where she found most of the mutants in the mansion trying to eavesdrop on a conversation between Logan and a visitor they had yet to meet. They were also trying not to get caught as something was bothering both it seems.**

"Uh, my head" Rogue said rubbing when she heard voices telling her to be quiet.

Her eyes snapped open to see Amara, Bobby, Kitty, Ray, Jean, Spyke and Scott with teachers Ororo and Hank all trying to hear as much of the conversation with the stranger as possible.

"What is goin' on here?" Rogue asked in confusion as Bobby snapped at her "shut up, Anna...this is juicy" he chuckled deviously.

"If ya tell me shut up one more time, Bobby" Rogue threatened beginning to take her glove off when she got a look at Azazel and gasped "he's the thing that appeared when Michael used his powers against Kurt."

Azazel blinked then looked Rogue straight in the eye, she couldn't explain her feeling just then but she ran to get back to her room, as she touched the doorknob, sure that he couldn't have followed, she felt his hand over her shoulder "well well, you must be the one Raven's been trying to hide from me..."

Suddenly, a voice interrupted "Hey, let go of her!" Both looked to their right as Warren Worthington III, codenamed Angel stood there with his brown trench coat in his hand and the white wings that earned him his codename were on his back, though one was still covered in bandages, thanks to his and Logan's encounter with Sabretooth.

"Angel?" Anna-Marie said "when did you get back on your feet?"

"Angel, huh?" Azazel let go of Rogue but was face to face with the avian mutant within seconds of doing so "What's a Cheyarafim doing here?!"

"What's a Cheyarafim?" Warren questioned taking a step back but not able to break eye contact with Azazel, something in him wanting to kill the Demon Lord as he chuckled dryly "sorry, but you've got it all wrong"

"That may be..." Azazel said glancing back at Rogue "but stay away from my daughter" both X-Men were shocked and Angel looked at Rogue, his humor evaporating "this thing's your father?"

Azazel, taking slight insult to being referred to as a 'thing' growls "hey!" as he scowled "I'll kill you if you even think of touching her...begone now" he flicks Angel on the forehead, sending him in the opposite direction at the speed of a bullet before smiling very sweetly at Rogue as he teleported away, leaving her both shocked and confused as she muttered "...father?"

Angel managed to stop himself from being splattered on the wall by flapping his wings for a moment then stopping on his hands and feet "Why is everyone attacking me...first that mangy ass Sabertooth now some guy that looks like a red Kurt...at least I know I'm healed enough to fly again" he removed the bandages from his wing, flexing it.

* * *

**Elsewhere, X-23 had come upon a seemingly abandoned facility, in the snowy wilderness of Canada, not far from where Logan had actually grown up, but neither of them knew that.**

"What are they up to?" Laura said to herself, following the prints of a man she didn't know worked with but not for Michael Darkstone.

**She saw a facility nearby, where upon closer investigation, she saw men throwing dead bodies out into the frigid wilderness...unaware or uncaring that it would attract many vicious predators.**

Somewhere nearby, a man stood in the trees watching X-23, he was the one she thought she was following when he made fake prints to have her going in circles. He went by many names but the one he preferred was Cain, Jason 'X' Cain as his light bronze eyes stared at X-23 in curiosity "I wonder...if I should hand her over to Darkstone...or keep her for myself" he was perfect where he was as the wind would carry his scent in the opposite direction of X-23.

He was the most sadistic person Michael had ever had the chance to cross paths with (other than himself) as they had similar pasts, he'd killed many of his wives just for trying to get involved in his...line of work, but it also turned him off from women his age on a whole.

He wasn't gay, but he was rather...very picky as he liked deadlier women regardless of age and X-23 was quite a rare beauty to him.

"What's this?" He said in a deep, deadly tone as Laura decided to sneak into the facility, he could trip the alarms himself right now but he was curious what she wanted as he followed her, his bronze eyes following his prey with ease until she went around a corner, he decided to follow but stopped.

He smiled, she was aware that he was following her as she swung a kick at his face, missing by just a few inches as she snarled pointing at the facility "What's going on inside that facility?!"

Jason passed his hand through his naturally white mohawk and long ponytail behind him reaching his calves as he said with a chuckle "I'm afraid that's none of your concern, little girl...how about we continue this little dance, hm?" He used brute strength to punch the ground before her feet, but when the snow cleared, she was gone.

Using the trees to her advantage, she got ready to counterattack but he just stood there with his eyes closed and mind in premeditation as she thought _'Now, I attack'_ she jumped and would have taken the man's head off with the claws on her feet, if not for the last second where he ducked and spun around, his palm thrusting at her stomach at high speed but something invisible hitting her hard and pushing her into a tree.

"W-what are you...a mutant with telekinesis?" Kinney breathed hard through her mouth knowing he did not even actually touch her as Jason laughed almost on the brink of tears before the snow starting levitating in a spiral around him as he walked over to her slowly "That's rich...I can control the wind itself, girl" he raised his palm, the air spiraling around with a small amount of snow as he turned a sinister stare to her.

He extended his hand to pull her to her feet "come now...I like this game, cutie"

He pulled her to her feet "run and I'll give ya a headstart" but she was frozen against a tree, Jason's eyes widened "I SAID RUN!" He thrusts his arm as X-23 took off to see the tree she was leaning against reduced to toothpicks.

Oddly, she doesn't know if Jason is still after her as he suddenly became almost untraceable to her, as if he'd never exist. She was cautious with reason.

She went to the Airport, via motorcycle.

She heard a sound and looked behind her but saw nothing. Jason was hiding in the snow trail her bike made, she had another thing coming if she thought he'd given up.

She made it to the Airport, just in time to buy a ticket and board the plane home. Once onboard, she sighed...but Jason was the one she sat beside.

He chuckled, nearly giving her a heart attack "I admit...sweetheart, I like you" he put his arm around her shoulder "but if you wish to get away from me...you'd still have to do much better than that"

Laura punched him in the gut, a gust filled the cabin. He smiled viciously "Cute and a fighter...I like deadly combinations like that."

"I'll show you a deadly combination..." Laura scowled as she kept on the side of her seat furthest from him "just wait until we leave this plane."

* * *

**Back with the X-Men...Logan had a plan, he didn't know if Azazel would like it but he surely hated it very much, he also needs Victor and Angel (much to Azazel's disgust) along with the others as back up**.

"Michael...I think I know what he wants and only I can give it to him" Logan said as Beast asked "Oh really and what is that, Logan?"

Logan scowled and gulped "He wants 'us', Hank...as in Sabretooth and I are what he truly wants, preferably alive"

"Logan, you're not thinking what I think you're think, are you?" Amara asked "I mean I miss Fuzzy Kurt like anyone, but that's insane...how do we get Peter back without you" Azazel looked at her at the sound of her nickname for Kurt, raising a brow but saying nothing.

"He won't need Peter or Kurt if I handed myself over in his and the others' place...hopefully" Logan said, his doubt showing in his voice.

Hank then turned to Azazel "um, Azazel...if you are the father of both Kurt and Rogue, how come Rogue doesn't look like you but he does?"

"Simple...Kurt is 95 percent demon and only 5 percent human" Azazel looked at Rogue "while this one is the other way around...90 percent human and the remaining 10 percent a demon."

The X-Men gasped at that bit of information as Beast said "wow, I have blood samples of everyone in this mansion...Kurt and Rogue included, but have never come across this, but if you yourself are a full blooded demon, I can compare their sample with maybe a sample of yours?"

"Sure...why not" Azazel smiled darkly as he countered "I'll know who to kill first if I find any weapons in this place powered by my own or Kurt's blood then?"

"No...I'm a genius but I'm not that smart" Hank gulped "...or stupid"

Logan mouthed 'wow' as Azazel continued "I plan to have them inherit my status as a Demon Lord eventually and will watch their lives here...especially around that Avian, 'Angel' or whatever you call him"

"What's your problem with Warren?" Jean asks as his reply was simply "...guess"

"A demon lord with a sense of humor..." Ray shuddered "at least we know Kurt's sense of humor didn't come from Mystique. Could you imagine that?"

"Should we start treating him like royalty now?" Angel asks with a scowl as Azazel stared at him as calm as humanly possible "if you value you lives...I'd suggest you do"

* * *

**Back with Michael, he was trying everything possible to drive Victor over the edge...get him angry, but nothing seemed to work, finally he chose to electrocute him without killing him.**

Little did he know, Victor has shut himself off from all his emotions, including the one he was well known for, his rage and short temper. A skill he'd learned in his younger days when his old man tried to kill him after learning he was a mutant...something he and Michael can both relate to.

"Come now, Creed" Michael was growing uneasy and impatient with his usually more vocal captive "show me that rage" his voice morphed into Logan as Victor looked up to see Logan looking down on him with pity, holding the taser rod Michael was hurting him with.

**Suddenly, he struck the nerve he was looking for as Sabertooth growled, having tried and failed to suppress his rage until now...part of him wanting to believe that Logan was responsible for his entire current situation as rage blurred his thoughts and he snapped his restraints easily...nearly taking one of Michael's legs with it if he hadn't jumped back.**

"Down, boy" Michael sneered at Victor's vulnerable state "behave! ...good" he reached out petting the feral, who was too afraid by the constant sight of his long dead father.

**Elsewhere in the facility, Peter was scarred but conscious in a cell when Michael's sadistic lackey came and threw in the unconscious Kurt, who looked nearly unrecognizable as the poor elf was being badly beaten by the cruel man. Piotr broke down at the sight of his friend...unable to help it.**

"Don't worry...he's alive" the man said "the boss would make sure I joined him if I'd killed him but he'll learn never to sleep around us the easy or the hard way."

"Give...it...back" Piotr snarled, seeing Kurt's Image Inducer on the man's wrist as he smirked "finder keepers...losers weepers"

He put his wrist past the bar, showing off his new trinket "want it so badly, why not try taking it and see what the boss would do to us both?" Peter flinched as the man smirked "...I didn't think so."

"Stop bothering my pet!" Michael snapped in another room, aware of what the lackey was up to as he walked away, waving at the anguished Peter.

The lackey immediately went to a mirror to test out his new toy "now, I swore I saw him press this button" he pressed the one on the top left as he turned into Rogue "nice..." then Kurt "...even better!" he had Kurt's voice and everything

_'This is my chance to get that Rogue girl to trust me...'_ He thought as he returned to his normal form 'that is, until it's too late.'

Michael heard a proximity alert...as far above the facility...very far, the cloaked Blackbird flew above.

* * *

**The hanger door was opened and Logan was thrown out, beaten badly by Beast and Azazel.**

Michael was surprised by what he saw, Logan really got his ass handed to him (more by Azazel than Beast but he wasn't aware)

**Suddenly, Michael fell out of his seat curling in pain from an unseen terror...he screamed, feeling like he was being burned from the inside out as the demons inside him sensed the presence of their master.**

His lackey came in, unintentionally in the form of Nightcrawler, and pulled him back to his seat on the chair.

Michael, terrified and furious, unleashes his shadows "you've got...some nerve laying hands on me!" his shadows turned into spiked tendrils and the lackey deactivated the image inducer at the last second screaming "wait!" as a stray shadow slashed his cheek as he shook looking at his close brush with the kiss of death.

Michael just sat there, staring at him still very terrified but wondering why the hell the demon was here and how he was found in the first place "bring me...Wolverine or you'll regret it and how did you change like that anyway?"

He raised his wrist "I took this thing from the blue kid...cool, huh?"

Outside, Logan found his fall stopped by a small tornado as Jason Cain brought him down to the ground, having lost X-23 somehow "Huh...looks like you got the shit beat out o' you before falling out of heaven" he said to himself, nudging the motionless Logan with his foot.

"Hey, you" Michael's lackey said coming his way, earning a glare from Jason "who do you think you're talking to 'hey, you' and where's Darkstone?" He kicked Logan away from him in disgust.

The lackey stared at Jason "What crawled up your ass all of a sudden?" He said, finding Logan hard to lift a bit for a small guy "follow me, jackass"

Jason followed "This is your last warning to watch your language when you talk to me" he tapped the man's back, pushing him forward a bit "I'm in a very nasty mood as it is."

Sabretooth stood beside Michael, still wearing the shackles he broke when he went feral but was motionless as Jason came into the room.

"What brings you back to me, Jason?" Michael said before turning to look at the man "I thought I said I'd kill you if you ever came back to me with any offers for my pets."

Jason cracked his neck "who needs such...unappetizing things when I've found much better prey?" Victor was ready to lunge at him just then but Michael stopped him

"Easy, my pet..." Michael's eyes narrowed "you'll have your chance...and we have our 'runt' too, not to mention"

He glanced at Logan who was silent through all this as he glared at Michael, grimacing slightly as he saw the Image Inducer on the lackey's wrist.

* * *

**Meanwhile, X-23 was not far from the base and couldn't believe what she just saw...Logan handed himself over to a psychopath and Xavier allowed it.**

"Wait, isn't that...?" Laura muttered as she saw the Blackbird come out of its cloak momentarily before throwing Logan out from an incredible height that even he can't survive "what the hell?!"

She saw some wind pick up before he hit the ground, she hoped it was Storm though couldn't pick up any other scent and the older feral who she was the clone of. She ran ahead, there she saw that Jason X again.

She was sure no one knew she was there until he looked back at her with a smirk and gesturing for her to follow them but remain hidden as something about Michael creeps her out almost as much as Jason 'X' Cain.

* * *

**Back with the X-Men, they were still in the Blackbird, awaiting Logan's signal...there they began to see a change in Angel around Azazel.**

"Cheyarafim scum, how dare you touch my daughter?!" Azazel was beginning to get really pissed off as Angel kept his arm around a still very confused Rogue on purpose replying "she isn't your property"

"You really wish to suffer the wrath of a Neyaphem, don't you?" Azazel said glaring at Angel with his grey on black eyes as Angel could feel the Archangel within him fighting to get out...part of wanting to let Archangel out.

Beast looked on in curiosity, as he had to hit the books to learn more of these beings Azazel spoke of "Cheyarafim...Neyaphem?" He looked at Rogue who said "don't look at me, I'm as confused about what he's talking about as you are right now"

* * *

**Back with Logan, he'd fallen unconscious but woke up to the sight of Sabertooth glaring at him in absolute disdain, hatred and disgust.**

Logan woke up to find himself chained to a wall and shirtless, as if on display.

"Welcome home..." Michael said as he and Jason walked in and a more docile than usual (given the situation) Sabertooth came to his side "...my Wolverine."

"How clear do I have to make it fer ya, bub?" Logan seemed too relaxed before looking at Victor "you don't own me...or him"

"Yet..." Michael added "I don't own you yet, I'll not have you thinking that you can have your way"

"Your young demon friend...he's alive, by the way" Michael added as Jason grew impatient "I want me that X-23 girl, Michael...what's taking you so long to lure her here?"

Suddenly, the killers intent in the air rose and Logan just couldn't take it that this pedophile dared to touch his daughter/clone, breaking his somewhat short silence "don't you dare...touch X-23" Logan's piercing blue eyes met Jason's cryptic bronze eyes as the man scowled, showing no fear to Wolverine "and what're you gonna do about it...all tied up here?" He got closer toying with Logan.

"Tell me, Logan" Michael cut in "the deaths of those teens...my teens, did you enjoy it as much as I did?"

Suddenly the killing intent in the air tripled in a second, Logan was still more bothered by those deaths than he let himself believe as tears formed in his eyes

"What?!" Logan was shaking like a leaf "yer the one...the one responsible for those poor teens..." He was disgusted by the very sight and sickening scent of the two men.

Logan had never been enraged to this point before...that he'd be willing to kill just about anyone who got in the way of his vengeance against these two. He refused to speak anymore as the men left him alone with Creed who was silent to the point that Logan almost forgot he was there.

Logan was horrified by the condition he was in, knowing he would've been captured before if Victor hadn't sacrificed himself in his place as the two were silent.

Logan's stare went to Victor's still shackled wrists then his eyes, both men were in pain, obviously in more ways than one.

* * *

**Back with the X-Men, Azazel was growing very annoyed...if he doesn't see his son soon, some serious blood will be spilled as he learned what happened.**

Azazel was much less than calm, his tail swishing like a whip as Scott began staring at him for some reason "We should be more calm about this..." Scott said "if anyone can do this, Logan can, right?" His stare was fixed on Azazel, he didn't want to turn a blind eye to him and wanted to know where the demon was at all time when in his presence.

"Overconfidence can be your undoing...pest" Azazel closed his eyes to focus a moment, seeing Logan and the mindlessly furious Sabretooth as Michael's captives and Piotr and Kurt having been badly beaten.

"Michael...he hurt my son" Azazel said without emotion, despite the very slight crack in his voice, as the X-Men gasp and Rogue looked suspicious of her 'father' "wait, how do you know that Michael creep?"

Azazel was silent as she went on, pounding her fist on the seat close to his arm, he didn't flinch as he looked at her fist then her "I was his captive before Kurt...he's a monster."

Azazel was angry now, choking his daughter by the neck as he stood "being my daughter, you've inherited my tremendously short temper but I'd strongly advise you to NEVER speak to me like that unless you want to live a very short existence"

He slammed her back in her seat as Beast said "I'd suggest you stay here, Azazel...Logan might have the right idea as Michael seems more interested in him and Victor than any of us, though I take it he doesn't know Kurt is your son."

"Fine..." Azazel took his seat and opened his palm, a clock appearing on his skin called a demon clock "when the time reaches zero, they'd either be out of there or I'll be going in"

Rogue was ignoring him completely, he would pay if Logan or Victor, one of two people who had been a father to her at some point in her life, died in there as he looked at her, his anger gone for now.

* * *

**At the Brotherhood's base, Juggernaut and the Acolytes have been called to see Magneto, who has yet to make an appearance as Gambit had a piece of his mind for him concerning his belle, Rogue (who he doesn't know yet was rescued by the X-Men already) and Sabretooth's failure of appear despite the two always arguing.**

Magneto finally entered the room, expecting to get this over with fast as it were the Acolytes who called this meeting and not him, he wondered where they got the nerve to do that though.

"Hey, Magneto" Juggernaut was the first to speak up as he took a quick glance around for the usual brooding figure of a certain feral "Where is Creed?" He said in a low tone, they all knew what happens when Cain Marko got angered even a little and hoped this was not the case.

Magneto growled glancing around as well "that is what I'd like to know" as Toad added "and didn't we capture some of the X-Men, where'd they go?"

Gambit rolled his eyes at the comment and smacked Toad in the back of his head "...idiot, Mags hired someone to take care of 'em, weren't you payin' any damn attention?"

"I know that, but I don't think Vic liked it very much" Toad shot back as he flicked his tongue out, but Remy ducked as Wanda deflected it as it stuck to the face of a very annoyed and helmet less Cain Marko, who glared at him, he pulled it and made Toad bounce off his fist "keep that disgusting thing in you mouth before I rip it out..."

Then he glared at Magneto "and don't even TRY to blame this all on Xavier, Magneto...I made sure to pass by Xavier's on my way here without my helmet on, so I know everything he knows and he ain't the only one really pissed about it either" he pointed at Magneto accusingly.

"This will take a LOT of explaining" Magneto muttered to himself as Wanda rolled her eyes and shook her head "what a bunch of idiots..."

**A/N - Well that it for this chapter, but what is Azazel going to do now that he's aware of Michael...more importantly, how long is he going to wait before either killing Michael or Angel, will Logan be able to rescue Peter, Kurt and Creed or are their fates sealed? You never know until the the next chapter! R&amp;R!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 5**

**_Sabretooth does the voice-over..._**

_Previously on X-Men Evolution..._

**Meanwhile, the X-Men get a scary new visitor...**

There was a knock at the door as Logan scowls, hoping that it isn't Mystique again "I'm comin'..." He grunted calmly.

He saw something he never expected when he opened the door, Azazel as he glared at him, looking him up and down "Who the French fries are you?" He tried not to use his usual course language as the Professor scolded him after what he did to Mystique, even though he was very much justified.

"I am Azazel" Azazel said "and I've come to see my son"

Logan twitched, looking at him in silence before slamming the door and stalking away cussing under his breath.

"Very big mistake..." Azazel growled outside the door as Logan's eyes widened.

Xavier was in his office when he heard Logan scream "Logan?" He called cautiously but got no answer though he could sense Logan was still alive.

Azazel walked in, carrying Logan by the neck with his tail as he looked around then to Xavier "I'll ask again...only...once" he put a picture of a baby Kurt on his desk "Where is my son?!" He tossed Logan into a chair before he strangled him as the feral glared at him dangerously.

"Is your son Kurt Wagner?" Xavier smartly asked as Azazel only nodded, Logan giving him a curious look...if he'd abandoned Kurt as well like Mystique, they'd need to have a very serious talk.

"Yer...Kurt's father?!" Logan got to his feet popping his claws and very disturbed as Azazel looks at him from the corner of his eye "Is that a problem?" He said with no emotion whatsoever.

"Is that a problem?!" Logan snapped back, knowing Kurt never spoke of his father...if he knew who his father was to begin with "you sorry, ugly mother-!"

* * *

Suddenly, Logan found himself pinned to the wall by his throat "try me..."

Logan looked at Azazel, enraged "you don't know what she's been doin' to them, do ya?" He said more than asked as Azazel raised an eyebrow and puts him down as he fixed his shirt "Look fer me in the garage if ya really want to know what Mystique's done to tick...me...off" Logan then walked off.

Azazel looked at him for a moment "why does hearing of something Mystique's done always leave me so uneasy?" He asked himself with a sigh.

* * *

Logan was fixing and tuning his beloved bike, grumbling to himself until he was Azazel come in as he walked out to the kitchen...with Azazel like the annoying roach he is, following him.

Logan smiles "you sure you can take what she's done, bub?" He asked "I know this is something ya need to know and would find out even if I don't tell ya but..."

"You wouldn't have brought it up as soon as you knew I was Kurt's father if it weren't important" Azazel interrupted as Logan frowned then shrugged "where do I start...ah, the school Kurt and the other teens that live here go to."

Azazel grabbed Logan, teleporting him back to his bike as he said with narrowed eyes "go on..."

"Just so she could keep tabs on 'em, she became the school's principal to recruit the Acolytes for Magneto...Rogue ended up bein' one of them"

"What makes these 'Acolytes' so different from you X-Men?" Azazel just had to ask, curious as to why they thought Rogue was not meant to be one of them.

"Xavier should've told ya this...not me" Logan growled as bit "the X-Men, us, want peace between humanity and mutants, while the Brotherhood of Evil...or the Acolytes, use their powers publicly to attack or scare humans, who they believe fer some stupid reason are beneath them"

"...and Mystique, she's one of them?" Azazel asked as Logan nodded while not looking at Azazel "Bingo, she knew during Apocolypse's reawakening, because of her, that they were her cubs but still attempted to destroy us all, betraying the Brotherhood to do so..."

Azazel's hand rested on Logan's bike as his touch scorched the seat "when I get my hands on her..." He snarled "how dare her harm my heirs?!"

Logan smells something burning and whacked Azazel's toes with his wrench "Hey, don't take yer fury out on my bike, take it out on Raven!" He snapped back angrily before rolling out of the way before Azazel could stomp his head.

* * *

**Elsewhere, X-23 had come upon a seemingly abandoned facility, in the snowy wilderness of Canada, not far from where Logan had actually grown up, but neither of them knew that.**

"What are they up to?" Laura said to herself, following the prints of a man she didn't know worked with but not for Michael Darkstone.

She saw a facility nearby, where upon closer investigation, she saw men throwing dead bodies out into the frigid wilderness...unaware or uncaring that it would attract many vicious predators.

Somewhere nearby, a man stood in the trees watching X-23, he was the one she thought she was following when he made fake prints to have her going in circles. He went by many names but the one he preferred was Cain, Jason 'X' Cain as his light bronze eyes stared at X-23 in curiosity "I wonder...if I should hand her over to Darkstone...or keep her for myself" he was perfect where he was as the wind would carry his scent in the opposite direction of X-23.

He was the most sadistic person Michael had ever had the chance to cross paths with (other than himself) as they had similar pasts, he'd killed many of his wives just for trying to get involved in his...line of work, but it also turned him off from women his age on a whole.

He wasn't gay, but he was rather...very picky as he liked deadlier women regardless of age and X-23 was quite a rare beauty to him.

"What's this?" He said in a deep, deadly tone as Laura decided to sneak into the facility, he could trip the alarms himself right now but he was curious what she wanted as he followed her, his bronze eyes following his prey with ease until she went around a corner, he decided to follow but stopped.

He smiled, she was aware that he was following her as she swung a kick at his face, missing by just a few inches as she snarled pointing at the facility "What's going on inside that facility?!"

Jason passed his hand through his naturally white mohawk and long ponytail behind him reaching his calves as he said with a chuckle "I'm afraid that's none of your concern, little girl...how about we continue this little dance, hm?" He used brute strength to punch the ground before her feet, but when the snow cleared, she was gone.

Using the trees to her advantage, she got ready to counterattack but he just stood there with his eyes closed and mind in premeditation as she thought _'Now, I attack'_ she jumped and would have taken the man's head off with the claws on her feet, if not for the last second where he ducked and spun around, his palm thrusting at her stomach at high speed but something invisible hitting her hard and pushing her into a tree.

"W-what are you...a mutant with telekinesis?" Kinney breathed hard through her mouth knowing he did not even actually touch her as Jason laughed almost on the brink of tears before the snow starting levitating in a spiral around him as he walked over to her slowly "That's rich...I can control the wind itself, girl" he raised his palm, the air spiraling around with a small amount of snow as he turned a sinister stare to her.

He extended his hand to pull her to her feet "come now...I like this game, cutie"

He pulled her to her feet "run and I'll give ya a headstart" but she was frozen against a tree, Jason's eyes widened "I SAID RUN!" He thrusts his arm as X-23 took off to see the tree she was leaning against reduced to toothpicks.

Oddly, she doesn't know if Jason is still after her as he suddenly became almost untraceable to her, as if he'd never existed. She was cautious with reason.

She went to the Airport, via motorcycle.

She heard a sound and looked behind her but saw nothing. Jason was hiding in the snow trail her bike made, she had another thing coming if she thought he'd given up.

She made it to the Airport, just in time to buy a ticket and board the plane home. Once onboard, she sighed...but Jason was the one she sat beside.

He chuckled, nearly giving her a heart attack "I admit...sweetheart, I like you" he put his arm around her shoulder "but if you wish to get away from me...you'd still have to do much better than that"

Laura punched him in the gut, a gust filled the cabin. He smiled wickedly "Cute and a fighter...I like deadly combinations like that."

"I'll show you a deadly combination..." Laura scowled as she kept on the side of her seat furthest from him "just wait until we leave this plane."

* * *

**Back with the X-Men...Logan had a plan, he didn't know if Azazel would like it but he surely hated it very much, he also needs Victor and Angel (much to Azazel's disgust) along with the others as back up.**

"Michael...I think I know what he wants and only I can give it to him" Logan said as Beast asked "Oh really and what is that, Logan?"

Logan scowled and gulped "He wants 'us', Hank...as in Sabretooth and I are what he truly wants, preferably alive"

"Logan, you're not thinking what I think you're think, are you?" Amara asked "I mean I miss Fuzzy Kurt like anyone, but that's insane...how do we get Peter back without you" Azazel looked at her at the sound of her nickname for Kurt.

"He won't need Pete if I handed myself over in his and the others' place...hopefully" Logan said, his doubt showing in his voice.

Hank then turned to Azazel "um, Azazel...if you are the father of both Kurt and Rogue, how come Rogue doesn't look like you but he does?"

"Simple...Kurt is 95 percent demon and only 5 percent human" Azazel looked at Rogue "while this one is the other way around...90 percent human and the remaining 10 percent a demon."

The X-Men gasped at that bit of information as Beast said "wow, I have blood samples of everyone in this mansion...Kurt and Rogue included, but have never come across this, but if you yourself are a full blooded demon, I can compare their sample with maybe a sample of yours?"

"Sure...why not" Azazel smiled darkly as he countered "I'll know who to kill first if I find any weapons in this place powered by my own or Kurt's blood then?"

"No...I'm a genius but I'm not that smart" Hank gulped "...or stupid"

Logan mouthed 'wow' as Azazel continued "I plan to have them inherit my status as a Demon Lord eventually and will watch their lives here...especially around that Avian, 'Angel' or whatever you call him"

"What's your problem with Warren?" Jean asks as his reply was simply "...guess"

"A demon lord with a sense of humor..." Ray shuddered "at least we know Kurt's sense of humor didn't come from Mystique. Could you imagine that?"

"Should we start treating him like royalty now?" Angel asks with a scowl as Azazel stared at him as calm as humanly possible "if you value you lives...I'd suggest you do"

**Back with Michael, he was trying everything possible to drive Victor over the edge...get him angry, but nothing seemed to work, finally he chose to electrocute him without killing him.**

Little did he know, Victor has shut himself off from all his emotions, including the one he was well known for, his rage and short temper. A skill he'd learned in his younger days when his old man tried to kill him after learning he was a mutant...something he and Michael can both relate to.

"Come now, Creed" Michael was growing uneasy and impatient with his usually more vocal captive "show me that rage" his voice morphed into Logan as Victor looked up to see Logan looking down on him with pity, holding the taser rod Michael was hurting him with.

**Suddenly, he struck the nerve he was looking for as Sabertooth growled, having tried and failed to suppress his rage until now...part of him wanting to believe that Logan was responsible for his entire current situation as rage blurred his thoughts and he snapped his restraints easily...nearly taking one of Michael's legs with it if he hadn't jumped back.**

"Down, boy" Michael sneered at Victor's vulnerable state "behave! ...good" he reached out petting the feral, who was too afraid by the constant sight of his long dead father.

* * *

Elsewhere in the facility, Peter was scarred but conscious in a cell when Michael's sadistic lackey came and threw in the unconscious Kurt, who looked nearly unrecognizable as the poor elf was being badly beaten by the cruel man. Piotr broke down at the sight of his friend...unable to help it.

"Don't worry...he's alive" the man said "the boss would make sure I joined him if I'd killed him but he'll learn never to sleep around us the easy or the hard way."

"Give...it...back" Piotr snarled, seeing Kurt's Image Inducer on the man's wrist as he smirked "finder keepers...losers weepers"

He put his wrist past the bar, showing off his new trinket "want it so badly, why not try taking it and see what the boss would do to us both?" Peter flinched as the man smirked "...I didn't think so."

"Stop bothering my pet!" Michael snapped in another room, aware of what the lackey was up to as he walked away, waving at the anguished Peter.

The lackey immediately went to a mirror to test out his new toy "now, I swore I saw him press this button" he pressed the one on the top left as he turned into Rogue "nice..." then Kurt "...even better!" he had Kurt's voice and everything

_'This is my chance to get that Rogue girl to trust me...'_ He thought as he returned to his normal form _'that is, until it's too late.'_

Michael heard a proximity alert...as far above the facility...very far, the cloaked Blackbird flew above.

The hanger door was opened and Logan was thrown out, beaten badly by Beast and Azazel.

Michael was surprised by what he saw, Logan really got his ass handed to him (more by Azazel than Beast but he wasn't aware)

Suddenly, Michael fell out of his seat curling in pain from an unseen terror...he screamed, feeling like he was being burned from the inside out as the demons inside him sensed the presence of their master.

His lackey came in, unintentionally in the form of Nightcrawler and pulled him back to his seat on the chair.

Michael, terrified and furious, unleashes his shadows "you've got...some nerve laying hands on me!" his shadows turned into spiked tendrils and the lackey deactivated the image inducer at the last second screaming "wait!" as a stray shadow slashed his cheek as he shook looking at his close brush with the kiss of death.

Michael just sat there, staring at him still very terrified but wondering why the hell the demon was here and how he was found in the first place "bring me...Wolverine or you'll regret it and how did you change like that anyway?"

He raised his wrist "I took this thing from the blue kid...cool, huh?"

* * *

Outside, Logan found his fall stopped by a small tornado as Jason Cain brought him down to the ground, having lost X-23 somehow "Huh...looks like you got the shit beat out o' you before falling out of heaven" he said to himself, nudging the motionless Logan with his foot.

"Hey, you" Michael's lackey said coming his way, earning a glare from Jason "who do you think you're talking to 'hey, you' and where's Darkstone?" He kicked Logan away from him in disgust.

The lackey stared at Jason "What crawled up your ass all of a sudden?" He said, finding Logan hard to lift a bit for a small guy "follow me, jackass"

Jason followed "This is your last warning to watch your language when you talk to me" he tapped the man's back, pushing him forward a bit "I'm in a very nasty mood as it is."

**Sabretooth stood beside Michael, still wearing the shackles he broke when he went feral but was motionless as Jason came into the room.**

"What brings you back to me, Jason?" Michael said before turning to look at the man "I thought I said I'd kill you if you ever came back to me with any offers for my pets."

Jason cracked his neck "who needs such...unappetizing things when I've found much better prey?" Victor was ready to lunge at him just then but Michael stopped him

"Easy, my pet..." Michael's eyes narrowed "you'll have your chance...and we have our 'runt' too, not to mention"

He glanced at Logan who was silent through all this as he glared at Michael, grimacing slightly as he saw the Image Inducer on the lackey's wrist.

* * *

**Meanwhile, X-23 was not far from the base and couldn't believe what she just saw...Logan handed himself over to a psychopath and Xavier allowed it.**

"Wait isn't that...?" Laura muttered as she saw the Blackbird come out of its cloak momentarily before throwing Logan out from an incredible height that even he can't survive "what the hell?"

She saw some wind pick up before he hit the ground, she hoped it was Storm though couldn't pick up any other scent and the older feral who she was the clone of. She ran ahead, there she saw that Jason X again.

She was sure no one knew she was there until he looked back at her with a smirk and gesturing for her to follow them but remain hidden as something about Michael creeps her out almost as much as Jason 'X' Cain.

**Back with the X-Men, they were still in the Blackbird, awaiting Logan's signal...there they began to see a change in Angel around Azazel.**

"Cheyarafim scum, how dare you touch my daughter?!" Azazel was beginning to get really pissed off as Angel kept his arm around a still very confused Rogue on purpose replying "she isn't your property"

"You really wish to suffer the wrath of a Neyaphem, don't you?" Azazel said glaring at Angel with his grey on black eyes as Angel could feel the Archangel within him fighting to get out...part of wanting to let Archangel out.

Beast looked on in curiosity, as he had to hit the books to learn more of these beings Azazel spoke of "Cheyarafim...Neyaphem?" He looked at Rogue who said "don't look at me, I'm as confused about what he's talking about as you are right now"

**Back with Logan, he'd fallen unconscious but woke up to the sight of Sabertooth glaring at him in absolute disdain, hatred and disgust.**

Logan woke up to find himself chained to a wall and shirtless, as if on display.

"Welcome home..." Michael said as he and Jason walked in and a more docile than usual (given the situation) Sabertooth came to his side "...my Wolverine."

"How clear do I have to make it fer ya, bub?" Logan seemed too relaxed before looking at Victor "you don't own me...or him"

"Yet..." Michael added "I don't own you yet, I'll not have you thinking that you can have your way"

"Your young demon friend...he's alive, by the way" Michael added as Jason grew impatient "I want me that X-23 girl, Michael...what's taking you so long to lure her here?"

Suddenly, the killers intent in the air rose and Logan just couldn't take it that this pedophile dared to touch his daughter/clone, breaking his somewhat short silence "don't you dare...touch X-23" Logan's piercing blue eyes met Jason's cryptic bronze eyes as the man scowled, showing no fear to Wolverine "what're you gonna do about it...all tied up here?" He got closer toying with Logan.

"Tell me, Logan" Michael cut in "the deaths of those teens...my teens, did you enjoy it as much as I did?"

Suddenly the killing intent in the air tripled in a second, Logan was still more bothered by those deaths than he let himself believe as tears formed in his eyes

"What?!" Logan was shaking like a leaf "yer the one...the one responsible for those poor teens..." He was disgusted by the very sight and sickening scent of the two men.

Logan had never been enraged to this point before...that he'd be willing to kill just about anyone who got in the way of his vengeance against these two. He refused to speak anymore as the men left him alone with Creed who was silent to the point that Logan almost forgot he was there.

Logan was horrified by the condition he was in, knowing he would've been captured before if Victor hadn't sacrificed himself in his place as the two were silent.

Logan's stare went to Victor's still shackled wrists then his eyes, both men were in pain, obviously in more ways than one.

* * *

**Back with the X-Men, Azazel was growing very annoyed...if he doesn't see his son soon, some serious blood will be spilled as he learned what happened.**

Azazel was much less than calm, his tail swishing like a whip as Scott began staring at him for some reason "We should be more calm about this..." Scott said "if anyone can do this, Logan can, right?" His stare was fixed on Azazel, he didn't want to turn a blind eye to him and wanted to know where the demon was at all times when in his presence.

"Overconfidence can be your undoing...pest" Azazel closed his eyes to focus a moment, seeing Logan and the mindlessly furious Sabretooth as Michael's captives and Piotr and Kurt having been badly beaten.

"Michael...he hurt my son" Azazel said without emotion, despite the very slight crack in his voice, as the X-Men gasp and Rogue looked suspicious of her 'father' "wait, how do you know that Michael creep?"

Azazel was silent as she went on, pounding her fist on the seat close to his arm, he didn't flinch as he looked at her fist then her "I was his captive before Kurt...he's a monster."

Azazel was angry now, choking his daughter by the neck as he stood "being my daughter, you've inherited my tremendously short temper but I'd strongly advise you to NEVER speak to me like that unless you want to live a very short existence"

He slammed her back in her seat as Beast said "I'd suggest you stay here, Azazel...Logan might have the right idea as Michael seems more interested in him and Victor than any of us, though I take it he doesn't know Kurt is your son."

"Fine..." Azazel took his seat and opened his palm, a clock appearing on his skin called a demon clock "when the time reaches zero, they'd either be out of there or I'll be going in"

Rogue was ignoring him completely, he would pay if Logan or Victor, one of two people who had been a father to her at some point in her life, died in there as he looked at her, his anger gone for now.

* * *

**At the Brotherhood's base, Juggernaut and the Acolytes have been called to see Magneto, who has yet to make an appearance as Gambit had a piece of his mind for him concerning his belle, Rogue (who he doesn't know yet was rescued by the X-Men already) and Sabretooth's failure of appear despite the two always arguing.**

Magneto finally entered the room, expecting to get this over with fast as it were the Acolytes who called this meeting and not him, he wondered where they got the nerve to do that though.

"Hey, Magneto" Juggernaut was the first to speak up as he took a quick glance around for the usual brooding figure of a certain feral "Where is Creed?" He said in a low tone, they all knew what happens when Cain Marko got angered even a little and hoped this was not the case.

Magneto growled glancing around as well "that is what I'd like to know" as Toad added "and didn't we capture some of the X-Men, where'd they go?"

Gambit rolled his eyes at the comment and smacked Toad in the back of his head "...idiot, Mags hired someone to take care of 'em, weren't you payin' any damn attention?"

"I know that, but I don't think Vick liked it very much" Toad shot back as he flicked his tongue out, but Remy ducked as Wanda deflected it as it stuck to the face of a very annoyed and helmet less Cain Marko, who glared at him, he pulled it and made Toad bounce off his fist "keep that disgusting thing in you mouth before I rip it out..."

Then he glared at Magneto "and don't even TRY to blame this all on Xavier, Magneto...I made sure to pass by Xavier's on my way here without my helmet on, so I know everything he knows and he ain't the only one really pissed about it either" he pointed at Magneto accusingly.

"This will take a LOT of explaining" Magneto muttered to himself as Wanda rolled her eyes and shook her head "what a bunch of idiots..."

_...Now..._

**Logan was chained up, under the scrutiny of Michael like he was some lost toy.**

"Take a picture, bub" Logan scowled bitterly "it'll last longer."

"I've heard that you're quite a smart mouth...my pet" Michael seemed to ignore Logan's threat and death glare "but, I need you to exact my revenge..."

"On Azazel?" Logan finished for him as he caressed his wild black hair "Ah, that's the one, you know him?"

"I know the bastard" Logan growled "don't like him very much, but he's the father of two of my friends...one of them, here because of you!"

"Azazel has no children" Michael said angrily right in Logan's face but the feral smirked "care to ask him yourself?"

Michael lost control of his anger punching Logan in the mouth, but for the first time Logan licked the blood away from the corner of his mouth as if he was willing himself to go feral...that way, he'd somewhat still have control and full awareness of his actions.

Logan spits blood at Michael's feet "yer a weak man...sorry, but I don't bow down to weak men or many strong men to begin with" his stare shifted to Sabertooth in a bit of sadness then back to glaring at Michael "...unlike some people"

Michael grew deathly serious, staring at Logan "I think I've had enough of your...attitude now" he lifts Logan with his shadows, determined to prolong his fun with him.

Little did he know, Sabertooth was breaking free from his control little by little "R-runt..." He grunted weakly but seemed still petrified by his own fears.

"I'll have you kill those you call friends" Michael said, making Jason smirk "including your precious, X-23"

Jason frowned at that, placing a hand on Michael's shoulder "I hope you mean 'EXCEPT the women', I'll allow no one to get in the way of my payday and she's worth so much more to ME...alive" but was almost inhumanly quick to move when Michael's shadow came fast, almost severing both his arm and head. Logan's teary eyes widened in rage yet again, looking at Jason X.

Michael's computers beeped again "looks like you'll yourself the fun YOU seek, they're coming back" he paused for a moment, feeling like the demons inside him would go wild again at any second "...but what makes them think I'll give up the runt so easily once he's in my grasp?"

* * *

Jason walked out, then he looks straight up at the sound of a scream and scowled "so you called this jackass..." He growled, knowing and hating this particular follower of Michael, who seemed too busy to stop them from tearing each other's throats out, was here.

**On the roof, X-23 was almost assaulted by a seemingly old man called Seraph dressed, believe it or not, as a priest but do not underestimate this man as the Vatican is the last place on Earth you'd ever find him despite not being nearly as gritty as Jason or seemingly serene as Michael is as he served no God...only what he calls the Divine Light and his powers are akin to those of Jubilee, though not as dazzling.**

"A child..." Seraph's blue-green eyes scanned X-23 in disdain and slight disgust "such beauty, too...no doubt that heathen, Jason Cain, would like your type"

"You have to be joking..." X-23 said looking at the man floating before her, wearing holy robes, with the exception of a cross anywhere "the Vatican called, they want their schtick back"

"Being a God...the Vatican are beneath me!" Seraph snapped, swinging his hands wildly as bolts of light tried to vaporize X-23 "just like you, O child of faith."

That made X-23 stop and simply move her head to dodge, leaving a small cut on her cheek "you know, I may not be one to judge here...but I am SICK of your annoying rambling!"

* * *

Below them, a gust of wind turned all the falling shards of glass to nothing but diamonds smaller than a snowflake as Jason flinched "that prick did NOT just call me a 'heathen'..." He took a deep breath "you...goddamn...wannabe priest!" He yelled, not even gaining the attention of the two before shooting himself through the air at amazing speed.

"Speak of the devil" Seraph snarls as Jason shot into the air and X-23 took their distraction with each other to slip inside.

She ran around for a while, before she came upon the badly beaten, tortured and scared Kurt and Peter as well as a feral, but strange Logan, who'd just broken out of his cell.

**Just then, back in the Blackbird, Azazel's demon clock had just struck zero and he stood, everyone worried what he would do as only Logan has seen what he was capable of...and even that was only the tip of the iceberg.**

Azazel sat meditating, and probably premeditating with his eyes closed, then his eyes opened at the same time as Kurt became conscious again.

"You've had your chance to do it your way, Wolverine..." He growls "...now it is my turn"

Azazel teleports to the roof, grabbing X-23 as she protests "Hey" then to the cells holding his son, Logan and Peter.

"Logan!" X-23 screams as Azazel put her down and ventures close to Kurt, who retreats to the furthest part of his cell from him "Kurt..." He froze, boiling with rage "MICHAEL!" he yells "I know you can hear me...I'm coming for YOU!"

"Girl...can you free them?" Azazel looks at X-23 as she nods "consider it done, what about you?"

"I'll meet you outside...I suggest moving fast" Azazel teleports away as she goes to work with a completely feral but calm...to an unusually creepy great extent...Logan.

"W-who vas zat man?!" Kurt said angrily while still shaking with fear as Laura helped him to his feet replying "That's what I'd like to know, anyway we need to get out of here" Logan is unresponsive but nods as he searches for Sabretooth, who he found in the way of their exit.

"Going somewhere, brats?" Creed snarled, apparently no longer feral or under whatever control Michael held over him, as he squared off with X-23 "yer gonna fight me NOW that yer back and the rest would stay and take care o' the runt if they know what's good fer 'em." He looked at Peter, who dared not look away from his predatory gaze.

**Laura grew hesitant, she knew she wasn't any match for the faster, larger, much stronger feral, but Logan was in LA LA land, Colossus was mortified and ready to attack just about anyone while Kurt could barely stand, let alone fight Creed.**

Creed grinned widely, well aware that she had no choice but to fight him herself other than Colossus, who has proven to be no match for him already "C'mere, Kinney!" He dives at her claws first as she barely managed to dodge and countered with a kick to his face, which he dodged just as fast.

"Fair warning, Creed... I'm in no mood for the likes of you" Laura said, not knowing that she was only antagonizing the feral who tilted his head and frowned "you seem agitated...scared to go toe-to-toe with someone who can take ya?" He readied himself and snarled as Laura charged "I admire you not running from a fight...not that I'd let that happen, but I expected better, not having seen ya in so long" he took her attack head on then put his large hand over her mouth and throwing her into the wall in the cell that just held Kurt "Pathetic...and here I thought I actually missed ya" He said sarcastically as he made his way towards her.

* * *

**As for Azazel, he'd found Michael as he teleported into a dark part of the room...his very presence making the lights dim unnaturally as Michael didn't dare face him and his lackey seemed ready to fight him, which the demon-mutant didn't find very amusing or smart.**

"There's no point in hiding...I know you're there" Michael said to seemingly no one "why are you here and what do you want?!"

His lackey pulled out a switchblade, though the two were alone he didn't know Michael to be someone to be that angry at nobody "Uh, boss?" He muttered as he raised an eyebrow "who're you yelling at?"

Suddenly, Azazel's voice could be heard but he was nowhere in sight "well well, you've been quite a busy one in my absence...working on an empire?" His voice said calmly, too calmly Michael thought.

Grey eyes appeared in the darkness, filled with no emotion but an anger Michael knew well enough not to mess with or get in the way of as Azazel walked out of the shadows

Michael pushed the lackey forward as Azazel walks towards them, perfectly calm, which undermines the lethality of his rage greatly "don't just stand there like a nitwit, get him!" He snarled.

The man lunged at Azazel, but all that was left of the Demon Lord was grey smoke and the noxious smell of sulphur "Got 'em, boss" the man said looking back to Michael thinking he killed the powerful teleporter.

"Wow...you sure 'got' something" Azazel said with little to no amusement as he reappeared, grabbing the man by the neck with his tail and slamming him into the wall so hard that it echoed and broke the very dense material it was made of like it was nothing "stay put, little one...your turn will come soon enough!" The man looked back to be frozen by the dark grey eyes of a murderer as the demon-mutant smiled equally as sinister as his stone gaze.

"Come here, Michael Darkstone" he said sternly as Darkstone goes ballistic with rage "get away from me, you monster!" He unleashed his shadows wildly, but they don't seem to touch the Neyaphem either out of some fear or respect. Azazel disappeared again and Michael's caution grew.

He could hear the demon licking his lips, still toying with him just because he can, as he bumped into Azazel's back and didn't even see his tail whip around and smack him across the face.

"You'll learn not to mess with the property of a demon by ease or force" Azazel said "just think about it though, if it were someone else like Blackheart or Dormmamu, you'd be dead long ago"

"Are you saying that you're more merciful than they are?" Michael growled then mocked "how unlucky am I..."

"You dare spit on my gratitude, fool!" Azazel boomed in annoyance "Blackheart would kill you on sight...period and Dormmamu would just use you as his own vessel to cross the veil into this world then...kill you on sight. I'm very ill-tempered by nature and will not be anywhere near as merciful."

**Back with Logan and the others, he finally makes a response and it's not for him to be taken away from here.**

Logan stopped, refusing to take another step as he looked at Kurt with worry "...go, get out of here."

"Don't need to tell me twice, but vhat about you?" Kurt asks, already knowing by the look in his eyes that he wasn't coming with them.

"I said...to go, bub" Logan growled and before either could argue again swings his claws, barely grazing Peter "I'm...sorry" Logan took off in a sprint as Peter held Kurt "Let him go...let's get out of here, da?"

Kurt nods as they help each other out of that base "good luck, Logan" he said to himself. Little did they notice the tear in Logan's eye as he made his way back to either Sabretooth or Michael

* * *

"Well, mon ami?" Gambit said with a lethal tone and glare to match "tell us all what you did with my béchamel!" He said referring to Rogue.

"I owe you no explanation" Magneto said as Gambit tossed a few charged cards at him followed by a pool table thrown by Juggernaut who retorted "yes, you do...unless you prefer it bein' pounded out of ya." He punched his fist to his hand to prove his point that none of them were messing around.

"Fine..." Magneto gave in knowing that they all, Juggernaut especially, were dead serious.

**Magneto explained everything that had happened until now, about Michael and why he sent them to capture certain X-Men members.**

"...and that's what's happened" Erik finished explaining himself. There were a few gasps within the group, who included Gambit.

Gambit dropped his head, tears streaming in his eyes as he shook violently.

"Remy..." Magneto attempted to touch the young Cajun but he whipped out his Bo Staff and swat dangerously at his head "Don't ya dare touch me...ever...again!" He snarled "I..." He left the room full of surprised and ashamed Acolytes who followed suit.

Remy remained sequestered in his room for the entire day as did Pietro, both of which were supposed to help Toad get a date with Wanda, but that seem really unlikely to happen until he sees Juggernaut.

Cain looks at him "What do you want, twerp?" He asks, though he already knew by how he was looking at Wanda.

"Can you get me a date with Wanda?" He asks quickly and quietly as Juggernaut looks at him with a smirk "only person that can do that...is Wanda herself or Magneto...you're terrified of both." He sneered.

"Hey, I ain't scared o' nobody, yo!" He said as he bounced around as Cain folded his arms "yeah, right...why come to me rather than asking her yourself then?" He countered, taking a seat and folding his arms with a knowing grin.

"Are you CRAZY, man?!" Tolanski asks as Cain's smile evaporated "I don't want to be around either of them in the moods they're in!"

"Go away..." Juggernaut got up to leave "just go talk to her or does it really matter that much to you what Erik thinks?"

**Toad was confused as to what to do as he left Cain Marko alone.**

* * *

**A/N - With Azazel fighting Michael and Sabretooth fighting X-23, what does the Demon Lord really have in store for them all and will the Brotherhood be together long enough for them to figure it out? Will Toad have it in him to admit his feelings to Wanda and what is Gambit planning? All and more will be answered.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 6**

_Kurt does the voice-over..._

_Previously on X-Men Evolution..._

**Just then, back in the Blackbird, Azazel's demon clock had just struck zero and he stood, everyone worried what he would do as only Logan has seen what he was capable of...and even that was only the tip of the iceberg.**

**Azazel sat meditating, and probably premeditating with his eyes closed, then his eyes opened at the same time as Kurt became conscious again.**

"You've had your chance to do it your way, Wolverine..." He growls "...now it is my turn"

Azazel teleports to the roof, grabbing X-23 as she protests "Hey" then to the cells holding his son, Logan and Peter.

"Logan!" X-23 screams as Azazel put her down and ventures close to Kurt, who retreats to the furthest part of his cell from him "Kurt..." He froze, boiling with rage "MICHAEL!" he yells "I know you can hear me...I'm coming for YOU!"

"Girl...can you free them?" Azazel looks at X-23 as she nods "consider it done, what about you?"

"Going somewhere, brats?" Creed snarled, apparently no longer feral or under whatever control Michael held over him, as he squared off with X-23 "yer gonna fight me NOW that yer back and the rest would stay and take care o' the runt if they know what's good fer 'em." He looked at Peter, who dared not look away from his predatory gaze.

Laura grew hesitant, she knew she wasn't any match for the faster, larger, much stronger feral, but Logan was in LA LA land, Colossus was mortified and ready to attack just about anyone while Kurt could barely stand, let alone fight Creed.

Creed grinned widely, she had no choice but to fight him herself other than Colossus, who has proven to be no match for him already "C'mere, Kinney!" He dives at her claws first as she barely managed to dodge and countered with a kick to his face, which he dodged just as fast.

"Fair warning, Creed... I'm in no mood for the likes of you" Laura said, not knowing that she was only antagonizing the feral who tilted his head and frowned "you seem agitated...scared to go toe-to-toe with someone who can take ya?" He readied himself and snarled as Laura charged "I admire you not running from a fight...not that I'd let that happen, but I expected better, not having seen ya in so long" he took her attack head on then put his large hand over her mouth and throwing her into the wall in the cell that just held Kurt "Pathetic...and here I thought I actually missed ya" He said sarcastically as he made his way towards her.

**As for Azazel, he'd found Michael as he teleported into a dark part of the room...his very presence making the lights dim unnaturally as Michael didn't dare face him and his lackey seemed ready to fight him, which the demon-mutant didn't find very amusing or smart.**

"There's no point in hiding...I know you're there" Michael said to seemingly no one "why are you here and what do you want?!"

His lackey pulled out a switchblade, though the two were alone he didn't know Michael to be someone to be that angry at nobody "Uh, boss?" He muttered as he raised an eyebrow "who're you yelling at?"

**Grey eyes appeared in the darkness, filled with no emotion but an anger Michael knew well enough not to mess with or get in the way of as Azazel walked out of the shadows**

Michael pushed the lackey forward as Azazel walks towards them, perfectly calm, which undermines the lethality of his rage greatly "don't just stand there like a nitwit, get him!" He snarled.

The man lunged at Azazel, but all that was left of the Demon Lord was grey smoke and the noxious smell of sulphur "Got 'em, boss" the man said looking back to Michael thinking he killed the powerful teleporter.

"Wow...you sure 'got' something" Azazel said with little to no amusement as he reappeared, grabbing the man by the neck with his tail and slamming him into the wall so hard that it echoed and broke the very dense material it was made of like it was nothing "stay put, little one...your turn will come soon enough!" The man looked back to be frozen by the dark grey eyes of a murderer as the demon-mutant smiled equally as sinister as his stone gaze.

"Come here, Michael Darkstone" he said sternly as Darkstone goes ballistic with rage "get away from me, you monster!" He unleashed his shadows wildly, but they don't seem to touch the Neyaphem either out of some fear or respect. Azazel disappeared again and Michael's caution grew.

He could hear the demon licking his lips, still toying with him just because he can, as he bumped into Azazel's back and didn't even see his tail whip around and smack him across the face.

"You'll learn not to mess with the property of a demon by ease or force" Azazel said "just think about it though, if it were someone else like Blackheart or Dormmamu, you'd be dead long ago"

"Are you saying that you're more merciful than they are?" Michael growled then mocked "how unlucky am I..."

"You dare spit on my gratitude, fool!" Azazel boomed in annoyance "Blackheart would kill you on sight...period and Dormmamu would just use you as his own vessel to cross the veil into this world then...kill you on sight. I'm very ill-tempered by nature and will not be anywhere near as merciful."

Logan stopped, refusing to take another step as he looked at Kurt with worry "...go, get out of here."

"Don't need to tell me twice, but vhat about you?" Kurt asks, already knowing by the look in his eyes that he wasn't coming with them.

"I said...to go, bub" Logan growled and before either could argue again swings his claws, barely grazing Peter "I'm...sorry" Logan took off in a sprint as Peter held Kurt "Let him go...let's get out of here, da?"

Kurt nods as they help each other out of that base "good luck, Logan" he said to himself. Little did they notice the tear in Logan's eye as he made his way back to either Sabretooth or Michael

**Back at the Brotherhood's base, Magneto explained everything that had happened until now, about Michael and why he sent them to capture certain X-Men members.**

"...and that's what's happened" Erik finished explaining himself. There were a few gasps within the group, who included Gambit.

Gambit dropped his head, tears streaming in his eyes as he shook violently.

"Remy..." Magneto attempted to touch the young Cajun but he whipped out his Bo Staff and swat dangerously at his head "Don't ya dare touch me...ever...again!" He snarled "I..." He left the room full of surprised and ashamed Acolytes who followed suit.

* * *

_...Now..._

Piotr and Kurt, after hours of running, Kurt grew weak and tired as he feet refused to taking him any further

"Peter...I can't go any further" as the larger teen looked at him, worry for his friend written all over his face.

"I'll carry you then, da?" Piotr grumbled "It isn't far again, let's go...better?" He looks at Kurt, who'd already fallen asleep on his back only giving a weak nod as they hurried out as quickly as Piotr's legs would carry him.

Finally, they saw light and the Blackbird in the distance, but Peter collapsed before making it there.

_**Aboard the Blackbird...**_

Kitty gasps "Kurt...Peter" she was sad but relieved to see the two walking out of that Hellish place before collapsing, releasing a consecutively held breath among them.

"I think I should be heading in now" Angel said readying himself to depart as Peter looked at him sternly "I get the feeling he'll be expecting you..."

Angel looked at Peter with as much sadness as determination and nods "yes, but so is Logan...I'll be careful"

"Laura's also in there...she'll need a hand with Sabretooth" Kurt added as everyone gasped.

**Angel flies out of the Blackbird, only to almost be instantly grounded by the winds Jason was whipping up, too distracted with fighting Seraph and vice-versa**

"Care to give us some weather control, Storm?" Angel smirks as Storm joins him, inadvertently gaining Jason's attention almost immediately.

Jason pushes Seraph away and stared at the X-Men when something caught his attention "What's this?" He stared at Storm, licking his lips "I wonder how old she is...maybe I'll punch a few holes in her and find out." His curiosity drawing him closer to them, not concerned with if they knew he was watching...it's not like he can hide in mid-air.

Angel rushes at Jason as he comes closer but a swift fist to the jaw with half the force of a tornado had him swerving in the air with a killer headache "out of my way, birdbrain...you're not who I'm interested in!" He growled before Storm glared at him then glanced at Angel with worry.

"Hello, gorgeous" Jason came right up to Storm and held her chin as she moved away, scoffing "excuse me, I am not interested in ruffians like you!"

"Well, this ruffian is interested in you...and the more I look at ya, the more I like ya, like my little Laura" Jason said as he whipped up gale force winds and Storm matched him with some lightning.

Angel had broken himself out his self made crater, unfortunately he became Archangel again as he looked at Storm and caught her concerned glance as he gave a half-maniacal smile turning to walk into the base. He wanted to fight them both, having somehow become a sentient being with a personality all his own in the past three years Warren had kept him dormant "Now where is that Azazel?" He searched but couldn't find him...what he did find though, were Sabretooth and Laura fighting.

"I hope Wolverine doesn't need me right away..." He grinned more like a deranged psychopath.

* * *

**As for Logan...he made his way to a large room within the facility...the doors were sealed shut and something was preventing his claws from shredding it.**

Logan took a deep breath as he felt a killer's intent inside that was stronger that his own, by the smell of brimstone and sulphur that reminded him so much of Kurt, he knew who it was as he pressed his ear against the door to listen "got tired of waitin' huh, Azazel?" He said to himself quietly noting the Demon Lord's impatience "...but what do ya have with Michael?"

Azazel, on the other side of the door from Logan, seems joyous for some reason, Michael was more or less unchanged since their last meeting, not to mention, he still remembered what Azazel did to him, could still do to him and probably intended to do to him but was not going down without a fight, even against the absolutely terrifying side of Azazel's personality.

Michael's own fear brought back the rotten memory of what happened that caused his very unfortunate meeting with Azazel...

* * *

**...Flashback start...**

_Michael still works for Hydra, but was beginning to think his job there was nothing but a fool's errand...not that he had any choice as he was NOT going back to his abusive parents._

_"It seems you've proven your worth to us, kid" a slightly deep, but stern male voice said behind Michael, clearly thrilled to have startled the hell out of him as he was handed a document "orders from your superiors, you are expected to begin immediately" the man brought his face closer to Michael's, his red eyes with no emotion and black ponytail reaching the centre of his back...clearly, he was Japanese though was easily confused for being Chinese. It was no secret that he wanted nothing but Michael's downfall as he purred in the young man's ear "an important artifact was stolen by someone en-route to this location...word is we've got a traitor in our midst, track him down...end his life...and bring the artifact back here safely" he drew back from the young man "that is your mission, you are to depart immediately."_

_Michael was shocked beyond his own belief, surely he'd been on retrieval missions like this before but never to kill another person...he really wasn't sure if he could do that, with or without a choice._

_'I guess I'd find out soon enough' he thought, gathering what he needed from the older man's personal quarters (with his permission) and left._

_He left, knowing the older man has a habit of booby trapping his belongings with traps that were sure to kill any unsuspecting thief...both material and data._

_Michael was within the forests in minutes and deeper within hours, but couldn't shake the feeling that he was being followed and watched since leaving the base._

_Lo and behold, he was being watched by none other than a traitor he knew only as Jason 'X' Cain._

_Jason's eyes narrowed as they came upon the scared, fidgety figure of Michael...he knew the young man and respected him, but hated him to the same extent as he puffed his special cigarette that had no scent and grinned darkly, looking at his stolen prize, the Demonite Tablet, it's crimson glow only making him smile more evilly "this mustn't be worth very much if they're sendin' this bratty youngblood after it..." He said loud enough to gain Michael's attention as he decided to get as close to the young man as possible, aware of his shadow manipulation in a darkened area like this forest. He was over Michael before he could even think to turn around._

_He stood there, throwing the artifact up and down in his hand with a deceitful sneer, Michael had heard stories that Jason would betray just about anyone to get what he wanted but they were never fortunate enough to actually cross paths until today._

_"You" Michael said, his blue eyes glued to Jason's emotionless bronze eyes and persistent sneer "hand it over now, I don't want to have to kill you."_

_Jason was astounded, this brat? Kill him? Yeah freakin' right!_

_"Stubborn little fuck-faced brat" Jason said, not caring that Michael was not used to his gruff manner, lack of manners or respect and his cruel words coupled with a dangerous temper that he'd seen before Jason brought his face close to his "you want this thing so bad, go ahead and just try taking it from me" he slapped Michael in the face, knocking him a few feet back easily "you think I wasn't aware that you saw me killing those men?" He asked in a dark tone as the shadows of the forest made him look twice as menacing with a sinister grin "you want this so bad, take it, just so ya know...you were followed so I'd not stay here as they trust you even less with their so-called artifact than they do me" he could also feel unknown killing intent coming coming from the direction he was heading as well but chose not to tell Michael as he said "follow me again and I'll kill you, you hear me, brat?!" He tossed the artifact right past Michael's head, splitting a tree in half then was gone._

_Michael went over taking up the Demonite Gem, his smile mirroring Jason's._

_"Jason Cain...you may be self-serving and greedy, but you're no fool" Michael said to himself, some hidden power of the tablet feeding on his greed and bringing it to the surface._

_Jason moved fast towards where he hoped a town would be, when something red crossed his vision._

_Suddenly, he spun mid-air as he and Azazel almost collided, Azazel going over and him going under._

_Azazel scanned Jason, his eyes widening and narrowing a bit which Jason found disturbing but not as much as he should._

_'He's had his hands on my property' Azazel thought dangerously 'but it doesn't seem to be in his possession now'_

_"You alright there?" Jason asked, Azazel knew well enough that he wasn't truly concerned for the demon's well-being but answered, clearly having no further patience for mortals, their pointless concerns and their stupid question, if they dared to ask any "Forget you ever saw me, mortal...your own well-being should be your concern, not mine" the demon Lord said coldly turning away from him and going about his business._

_Jason waited a moment before following Azazel until he heard his voice again. He didn't know that Azazel was aware that he was following him the entire time as he came upon Michael, the artifact he seeks in the young mortal's crummy hands and he seemed determined to keep it._

_Azazel extended his hand demanding the artifact be returned to his possession and Michael, giving an attitude, asking who he was to make demands of him._

_Jason was forced to retreat with the beating than ensued but still remained close enough to see everything as he was sure Michael had been dead already by how many trees fell and were still falling._

_As soon as he decided that this was too much for young Michael, he decides to intervene but was too late as he saw the Demon Lord step through a vortex of some kind, Michael's crumpled and beaten form thrown in before him._

_"I thought I told you to run away" Azazel's voice came from behind Jason as he smartly ran as he still heard the satisfied but still bone-chilling voice of Azazel "...good little mortal"_

_When he stopped at the town, he found no one alive...no one to help him if the Demon-Lord chose him as his next prey._

_The thought of him being prey to someone else being his worst fear._

_Azazel was annoyed, glancing at the demon clock on his palm every now and again as he was to be expected in a meeting of great importance right now._

_You see, demonkind was just as concerned about humankind as the humans, those who knew of them anyway, were concerned about demonkind._

_He made it to his location, the depths of Hades, a desolate place that no mortal has seen and lived, which is why he'd casted a powerful sleep spell on Michael prior to his arrival...he did not want the other Demon Lords to witness just how ruthless he was, then again they all already had an idea._

_He entered a large hall, in there other than Azazel were Daimon Hellstrom, a suddenly very curious Dormmamu, a scowling Lilith trying to hide her own curiosity...Azazel never was too charmed about her, Mephisto ignoring them all as he was the first to try reproaching Azazel for his one-time tardiness._

_"Well, if it isn't the impeccable Azazel" he greeted as Azazel narrowed his eyes walking right past him "I am not 'impeccable' and where's Lucifer?"_

_"Luci left just before your arrival" Lilith said looking at the human at the side of Azazel's seat "where have you been?"_

_"On business in the human world..." Azazel said with a look of eternal boredom, even in his tone as the Demon Mistress replied slyly "What kind of business, dear Azazel?"_

_Azazel's eye glared at her "None of yours, 'dear' Lilith..." He spat venomously but in the kindest way possible as he remained rather stoic to the meeting and his general company._

_"The faster we're through with this meeting, the sooner we're out of each other's hair" Mephistopheles informs as Azazel rolled his eyes "couldn't have said it better myself...I though you'd left." He had a rare look of surprise as Lucifer reappeared with an even more bored but optimistic look "About time you got here, 'zazel" Azazel only grunted at the nickname as he continued "it seems that we have our work cut out for us on repairing the veil between our realms and that of the humans...it could threaten the existence of both worlds"_

_"Beware, though..." Azazel added "it seems, for some reason, that they're obsessed with demonic relics" he glared at Michael as the others were speechless "they don't know how to use them in any way, but humans being the tenacious species they are..."_

_Hellstrom finishes for him "...it is only a matter of time. We must prepare..."_

_"Should we destroy them then?" Lucifer suggested as the look on Azazel's face changed and Lilith and Mephistopheles noticed as did Hellstrom across from him who shared a similar look._

_"I know that look, Azazel" Mephistopheles snarls "what's going on in that cryptic mind of yours?"_

_Azazel looked at him "Let's hold off on their destruction for now, you can watch over them with your Ghost Riders, which are part human anyway, while I can with some bamfs."_

_"Why?" Dormmamu asks disbelievingly "what are you up to, Lord Azazel?"_

_"Nothing but my own curiosity, Dormmamu" he didn't even try to look innocent "meeting adjourned?"_

_"Meeting adjourned" the other demons agreed as Azazel took his leave._

_Azazel noticed he was being followed by none other that his least favored, Lilith._

_"What do you want, woman?" Azazel stopped and said with disgust written all over his face as she inspected his little human "where are you off to in such a hurry...need company?"_

_"Thanks for the concern, but I can do without company...too busy" Azazel glared at her dangerously as she ignored it, he may not be the most powerful among them but was definitely one of the most terrifying with his temperament and equally as dangerous to whoever gets in the way of his wrath._

_He took a portal to Azeroth...all the other Demon Lords noticed this as Lucifer growled, ignoring the sudden shiver running up his spine "Did that mortal do something to piss Azazel off...he seemed rather snappy, didn't he?"_

_Dormmamu was equally worried "then again...when is Azazel ever in a 'good' mood?"_

_Lucifer saw the location on the other side before in closed and narrowed his eyes chuckling "he's definitely angry if he's going to Azeroth...this human has it in for him now, I worry for the mortal...at bit but not much" he looked at the other Demon Lords who nodded in agreement._

_"Azazel's 'good mood' and another person's 'good mood' are quite different though" Daimon smirked "same can be said for his amusement but I did notice a demonic relic in his possession...that must be why he was so concerned about the mortals, all but that unfortunate mortal at the very least."_

**...Flashback end...**

* * *

Logan heard the entire exchange between Azazel and Michael, his eyes wide as he knew Azazel to capable of many things and Michael is an evil person but this...was...painful, terrifying and plain wrong to the experienced X-Man.

Nothing could've prepared Logan for the things he heard Azazel admit to have done to Michael, not to mention what he still intended to do. Logan, as strong as he was, even he didn't have the stomach for this, quickly finding a corner to throw up "Sick fucks..." Logan rubbed his jaw, not knowing if he was going to be ill from what he was hearing as unlikely as it is with a healing factor_ 'I don't give two shits who's yer kids, I'll be watchin' you around my students from now on, Azazel. ESPECIALLY Anna-Marie and Kurt.'_

* * *

**Back with Sabretooth and X-23, Laura was somehow beginning to gain the upper hand as Victor had to fight Michael's reoccurring reprogramming of his entire psyche while keeping his mind on his chosen opponent, X-23 and NOT Logan**.

X-23 had Victor on the ropes with a flurry of punches and kicks, but he was undeterred and caught her next kick aimed for his temple by the claws on her foot "Aw, poor X-Clone" he said to mess with her "if the runt saw ya right now, he'd be so ashamed!" His knee connected with the side of her ribcage as she gasped and brought her fist down punching him hard on the head, stunning him as he stepped back from her.

They were about to charge at each other again, when metal feathers flew between them, slicing X-23's cheek and the bridge of Victor's nose, stopping both at the unwanted interruption in the form of Archangel but something about him, his eyes, his scent scared the two.

"Where is that demonic son of a bitch?!" Archangel landed as the two looked at each other then him.

**Suddenly, Sabretooth fell to his knees clutching his head in pain.**

"W-what's h-happening to me?!" He found it hard to speak, suddenly flying into a rage and attacking the two, then charging off "I'll rip ya limb from limb when I get my hands on ya, Darkstone!" He kicks X-23 in the stomach and threw a punch aimed for Archangel's face which he barely blocked at full speed and force knocking both back before going after Michael, Azazel and Logan shredding anyone and anything that got in his way, even smashing through the door and almost trampling an unsuspecting Logan in the process.

"What the-?" Logan barely evaded a stomp on his head as his rival came by, followed by Angel, no longer under Archangel's control after Creed's ruthless assault.

"Need a hand?" He extended his hand to Logan, who stomped his toe for making him wait "you owe me a beer fer that, bub, what's the problem with fang-face?" He became cautious as Victor assaulted Azazel from behind, only for the Demon Lord to teleport to safety, expecting him.

Angel fell to his knees suddenly, exhaustion kicking in "Warren" Logan came to his side as he said "I'm fine, just...exhausted a bit" though he looked and felt like he'd pass out any minute.

* * *

**Back outside, Jason was determined to match Storm as he stared with the most maniacal grin on his face.**

_'Storm, huh?'_ He thought _'let's see just how much you can live up to that name'_ he pushed her a bit harder "Come on, is that the best you've got?!"

Jason looked at her with a maniacal grin as he almost knocked Storm out of the air without either of them moving, then spend his time dodging gigantic hail before being struck by lightning, falling out of the sky and was buried in the ground.

Jason laughed raising his hand, unhindered by his current position "Bitch...you think I'll let the likes of you kill me?" He said shifting his raised hand between Storm, who was paying no attention to him, and the Blackbird full of the other X-Men as Rogue peered out making eye contact with him but before she could warn the others, Jason summoned a large vortex knocking those in the airborne Blackbird and Storm of the sky before falling unconscious.

* * *

**Back with Seraph, he was confronted by Jubilee, Spyke and Berserker while searching for Jason to finish their unfinished business and finally settle the score of which was superior.**

Spyke raised an eyebrow, his spike armor on and ready as he looked at Jubilee and Berserker then to Seraph who was walking towards them.

"Uh, am I the only one confused here as to why we're fighting my grandfather?" Jubilation Lee said comparing her grandfather with Seraph who looked close to the same age and the boys were trying their hardest not to fall over in laughter as they considered the current situation and that they were dealing with people that scare even Sabretooth and Wolverine.

"You dare blaspheme in the presence of a God?" Seraph hissed as the three had raised eyebrows as Beast joined them "enough talk, Logan and, I can't believe I'm saying this, but also Victor need our help." He looked at Seraph calmly then up to Jason in the air "don't rush in foolishly...there's more to these men than meets the eye."

Spyke rushes in "Gotcha, Mr. McCoy" launching spikes at Seraph who side steps them as if they were moving slowly the sends Spyke back with a hard knee to the gut "you'd best listen to your teacher, boy" he gave a deadly stare "I am no mere man like you, I am a GOD!"

"what did I say about not rushing in foolishly?" Beast looked at Spyke disapprovingly as they all rush in again strategically with Beast at his rear, Spyke on his left, Berzerker on his right and Jubilee right before him as he looked at her "this should be fun" he chuckled as Berzerker said "couldn't agree more"

* * *

**Back at the Brotherhood, Gambit is sick of waiting and staying there anywhere in the vicinity of Magneto as he left his room.**

He was confronted by an annoyed Toad "What. Do you. Frickin' want, Toad?" He said in absolute annoyance as Toad looked at him "I need your help with Wanda, still angry with Erik, I presume?" He noted by the rage still painted across his red on black eyes as he looked away "I'm done...done with Magneto, if he lied to us about this then imagine what else he's been lying to us about."

"He isn't the most trustworthy Mutant Messiah right now, then there's that Michael guy...did ya see how Sabretooth looked like he wanted to kill that guy?"

Gambit's eyes widen at that but he walked away saying nothing, with a bag on his shoulder _'Michael, huh...was he the one Mags was talkin' about when he gave Vic and I that mission?'_ He thought of the cruel man's face _'whatever, I don't trust that guy...something is givin' me the chills about him'_

Gambit, accompanied by Toad and Scarlet Witch went to do their own research on Michael...it was easier said than done though, with the fact that he had more aliases than anyone Gambit knew, even Sabretooth, and in those aliases he became either the nicest person you've ever met or a complete stranger, clueless about his powers but never about his true intentions. An innate master of deception, which made Gambit believe that he wasn't fooling around and planned to betray Magneto from the moment they met.

* * *

**Back with the X-Men, Logan had barely managed to prevent Victor from tearing Michael limb from limb as he called for a retreat.**

"We need to retreat" Logan said as Michael visibly flinched knowing that if Creed or worse, Azazel got their hands on him for even a second, he was dead, but if they retreated, he may never see his two favorite pets again.

"I'll...kill...him...nothing else...matters!" Victor snarled in rage as his headache intensified hundred-fold the closer he was to the psychopath but Logan managed to drag him away until he gave up as Michael's out of control shadows decimated most of the facility.

They managed to get out but found Michael nowhere "So...does that mean that this is finally over?" Logan looked between Azazel and Creed.

"Not by a long shot" Victor snarled "It would be if you hadn't-" it was interrupted by Victor's eyes widening before he fell down face first, like a cinder block.

Azazel looked at Victor, being the only one not at all surprised by this, then Logan with sadness "for once...I hope he isn't right and you're a fool if you think sparing Michael will accomplish any of our goals."

Logan was within inches of Azazel in seconds, claws out and all, as he has had enough of the Demon Lord and sheer will alone was keeping him from being thrown out of the Blackbird mid-flight like he himself was moments ago "It's about time we got this straight" Logan growled "yer NOT to be trusted, so don't go lecturing me on what to do especially when the lives of MY students are involved and I don't care if Kurt's yer son, he dies because of yer actions and I'll make sure father and son are reunited in the worst way possible"

"He is immortal...you know that, right?" Victor groaned regaining consciousness upon their return to the mansion with a groan and a killer headache "you, runt" he said bitterly his eyes fixed on Azazel's "not so much...but I still trust him a little more than Magneto right now" he lies back down uneasily "He'll regret it if I get my hands on him" he caught Laura at the corner of his eye trying to leave and smirked "leaving so soon, X-23?" He asks as Logan and Azazel turn to see her having a glaring contest with a drastically weaker Sabertooth as she scowled "be careful what you wish for, Creed, I don't fight with kiddie gloves...or claws" Logan noticed her angry look and glared at them both growling "I don't know what's going on here and I don't give a damn either, no fighting in Beast's infirmary" while Azazel looked at them both with amusement "this should be fun to watch...as long as Kurt and Rogue aren't dragged in, I won't have to kill you both."

That made Logan turn on him "As fer you, I think Xavier would love to hear about yet little conversation with Michael and how ya know him" he snarled as Laura gasped quietly and Creed grew really suspicious "...I know I will" Logan willed himself to smirk.

"Demons don't help ANYBODY, let alone mortals, unless there's something to be gained on their part, runt, in this case I'm guessing it's Kurt and Rogue, his and Mystique's cubs"

"You seem to know a lot about demons, Creed" Azazel seems even more amused by this but Creed was not as he replied blankly "you can say I've been around, heard some things...enough to know yer never what ya seem to be at first glance, but I can trust ya a lot more than Erik at this point and next time, X-23, don't fight me with kiddie gloves or hold back."

* * *

**Elsewhere, Michael's lackey had escaped the facility's partial destruction and was trying to avoid Jason...only to run right into him, or over his face.**

"The boss must've gotten out" he said to himself "the geezer left, ranting about his Jesus bullshit as well so that leaves..." He stepped on something and heard a pissed grunt.

Looking down, he saw that he was standing on Jason Cain's face and he not at all happy about it as he finished his sentence with narrow eyes "...this jackass...where's the rest of you?" He said, amused as the only visible part of Jason was his head and face which was currently under the lackey's foot as his pupils shrank and everything shook.

"Right here, you potty-mouthed prick!" His hand came free grabbing the lackey's groin then shooting the sadist away with a strong gust, quickly freeing himself and going to him pretending to be worried in case he was being watched where he noticed his new toy "Dear Elijah, that's a nice watch ya got there..."

The man, now known as Elijah, jumped up keeping the device (and his whole arm) from Jason "how'd you know that was my name?!"

"Next time ya want to lie...don't try to lie to me" Jason watched him carefully "and Michael knows as well but he never heard it from me, gimme the nice watch, Eli" he chuckled in a sadistic tone but all got was a kick to the face which he dodged "Yeah, on a cold day in Hell. I...need your help" he admitted.

"What can I do for ya, Eli?" Jason was enjoying himself getting on the man's last good nerve but he wouldn't dare hit the man unless he wanted a fist to fit in his mouth with the speed and strength of a F5 Hurricane.

"I want her" he showed Jason a picture of Rogue he got from Michael's database and his mouth almost began watering before he replied "and what, per se, do I get out of this, hm?"

"You get the female Wolverine, smartass" he snapped back referring to X-23

"Laura...Cain, that has a nice ring to it" Jason said to himself as Elijah snarked under his breath "or Jason Kinney, more like it..."

"The only thing I won't take from a woman" Jason warned "is her last name"

"Good to know" Elijah smirked as Jason smiled evilly.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Michael was receiving minor treatment for his injuries from Seraph, the demons had a habit of weakening his ability to heal, even when suppressed as that gave them the chance they wanted to take his body for their own.**

Seraph busied himself, healing Michael as best as he could with his powers...the only thing he can claim to be at fault for, being the God he is, was that the more he healed Michael, the more his wounds seem to resist, painfully on Michael's part but he was now falling into a fitful sleep but that only made him restless as he'd be under said demons' mercy until he wakes seven days from now and he'd never be thanked once for his service.

He decided now was the time to leave the man to his rest but before he could leave, he sensed a presence as Omaris and Maxidan seemed to share control of the sleeping Michael, which was odd as they never agreed enough with each other to have more than one of them controlling Michael at the same time, or so they made it seem.

"Aw...poor little Godling" Omaris mocked "don't tell me you're afraid of six teeny, tiny demons?"

Seraph looked mad, he disliked how those demons mocked his attempts every chance they got, especially the Asura demon, Omaris as the multi-armed demon knew just what rattled his old bones and Maxidan made him afraid for his physical well being at all times without him admitting to any of that either "Stay still, already!" Maxidan made a grab for him which he avoided with Maxidan's Devil Grip that meant death to anyone caught in it's hold "I've never tasted a God before" he licked his lips as Demodon snapped at him "and you never will before I do!"

As Seraph made it to the only door, Demodon/Michael jumps at him, biting him deeply in the neck causing him to fall in terror and pain.

Seraph put a hand over his wound, giving the demon a glare as he smiled, blood dripping from his lips.

"The demons hunger and it's time to feed..." Maxidan said as Seraph snapped "So this is why Michael smells like death and human innards...you've been driving him madder through cannibalism?!"

Maxidan stops smiling and was deathly serious "Shut up...you old, little cheesecake" his head snapped up as he lunged again "shut your trap and get in my belly!"

Seraph used the door as a shield, knocking the possessed man back as he grabbed Michael's keys while he was stunned and locked him in that room.

"I should get started on that counter seal" Seraph said walking fast down the halls of this sparsely used California formally an old Military base turned prison by Michael to facilitate more of his pets.

* * *

**A/N - What is Seraph up to now that Michael's demons think of him as a dinner plate, what is Jason Cain planning to get his hands on Laura and Rogue and what are Remy's plans for getting back at Michael, which he plans to do and how are Logan, Magneto and the others going to take it all when Mystique reunites with the stoic Azazel? That isn't going to be pretty with Michael's demons trying to eat Seraph and others. R&amp;R**


	7. Chapter 7

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 7**

**Jason does the voiceover...**

* * *

_**...Previously on X-Men Evolution...**_

* * *

**As for Logan...he made his way to a large room within the facility...the doors were sealed shut and something was preventing his claws from shredding it.**

Logan took a deep breath as he felt a killer's intent inside that was stronger than his own, by the smell of brimstone and sulphur that reminded him so much of Kurt, he knew who it was as he pressed his ear against the door to listen "got tired of waitin' huh, Azazel?" He said to himself quietly noting the Demon Lord's impatience "...but what do ya have with Michael?"

Azazel, on the other side of the door from Logan, seems joyous for some reason, was more or less unchanged since their last meeting, not to mention, he still remembered what Azazel did to him, could still do to him and probably intended to do to him but was not going down without a fight, even against the absolutely terrifying side of Azazel's personality.

Michael's own fear brought back the rotten memory of what happened that caused his very unfortunate meeting with Azazel...

**...**

**Logan heard the entire exchange between Azazel and Michael, his eyes wide as he knew Azazel to capable of many things and Michael is an evil person but this...was...painful, terrifying and plain wrong to the experienced X-Man**.

Nothing could've prepared Logan for the things he heard Azazel admit to have done to Michael, not to mention what he still intended to do. Logan, as strong as he was, even he didn't have the stomach for this, quickly finding a corner to throw up "Sick fucks..." Logan rubbed his jaw, not knowing if he was going to be ill from what he was hearing as unlikely as it is with a healing factor _'I don't give two shits who's yer kids, I'll be watchin' you around my students from now on, Azazel. ESPECIALLY Anna-Marie and Kurt.'_

**...**

"what did I say about not rushing in foolishly?" Beast looked at Spyke disapprovingly as they all rush in again strategically with Beast at his rear, Spyke on his left, Berzerker on his right and Jubilee right before him as he looked at her "this should be fun" he chuckled as Berzerker said "couldn't agree more"

**Back at the Brotherhood, Gambit is sick of waiting and staying there anywhere in the vicinity of Magneto as he left his room.**

He was confronted by an annoyed Toad "What. Do you. Frickin' want, Toad?" He said in absolute annoyance as Toad looked at him "I need your help with Wanda, still angry with Erik, I presume?" He noted by the rage still painted across his red on black eyes as he looked away "I'm done...done with Magneto, if he lied to us about this then imagine what else he's been lying to us about."

"He isn't the most trustworthy Mutant Messiah right now, then there's that Michael guy...did ya see how Sabretooth looked like he wanted to kill that guy?"

Gambit's eyes widen at that but he walked away saying nothing, with a bag on his shoulder _'Michael, huh...was he the one Mags was talkin' about when he gave Vic and I that mission?'_ He thought of the cruel man's face _'whatever, I don't trust that guy...something is givin' me the chills about him'_

**Gambit, accompanied by Toad and Scarlet Witch went to do their own research on Michael...it was easier said than done though, with the fact that he had more aliases than anyone Gambit knew, even Sabretooth, and in those aliases he became either the nicest person you've ever met or a complete stranger, clueless about his powers but never about his true intentions. An innate master of deception, which made Gambit believe that he wasn't fooling around and planned to betray Magneto from the moment they met.**

**Back with the X-Men, Logan had barely managed to prevent Victor from tearing Michael limb from limb as he called for a retreat.**

"We need to retreat" Logan said as Michael visibly flinched knowing that if Creed or worse, Azazel got their hands on him for even a second, he was dead, but if they retreated, he may never see his two favorite pets again.

"I'll...kill...him...nothing else...matters!" Victor snarled in rage as his headache intensified hundred-fold the closer he was to the psychopath but Logan managed to drag him away until he gave up as Michael's out of control shadows decimated most of the facility.

They managed to get out but found Michael nowhere "So...does that mean that this is finally over?" Logan looked between Azazel and Creed.

"Not by a long shot" Victor snarled "It would be if you hadn't-" it was interrupted by Victor's eyes widening before he fell down face first, like a cinder block.

Azazel looked at Victor, being the only one not at all surprised by this, then Logan with sadness "for once...I hope he isn't right and you're a fool if you think sparing Michael will accomplish any of our goals."

Logan was within inches of Azazel in seconds, claws out and all, as he has had enough of the Demon Lord and sheer will alone was keeping him from being thrown out of the Blackbird mid-flight like he himself was moments ago "It's about time we got this straight" Logan growled "yer NOT to be trusted, so don't go lecturing me on what to do especially when the lives of MY students are involved and I don't care if Kurt's yer son, he dies because of yer actions and I'll make sure father and son are reunited in the worst way possible"

"He is immortal...you know that, right?" Victor groaned regaining consciousness upon their return to the mansion with a groan and a killer headache "you, runt" he said bitterly his eyes fixed on Azazel's "not so much...but I still trust him a little more than Magneto right now" he lies back down uneasily "He'll regret it if I get my hands on him" he caught Laura at the corner of his eye trying to leave and smirked "leaving so soon, X-23?" He asks as Logan and Azazel turn to see her having a glaring contest with a drastically weaker Sabertooth as she scowled "be careful what you wish for, Creed, I don't fight with kiddie gloves...or claws" Logan noticed her angry look and glared at them both growling "I don't know what's going on here and I don't give a damn either, no fighting in Beast's infirmary" while Azazel looked at them both with amusement "this should be fun to watch...as long as Kurt and Rogue aren't dragged in, I won't have to kill you both."

That made Logan turn on him "As fer you, I think Xavier would love to hear about yer little conversation with Michael and how ya know him" he snarled as Laura gasped quietly and Creed grew really suspicious "...I know I will" Logan willed himself to smirk.

"Demons don't help ANYBODY, let alone mortals, unless there's something to be gained on their part, runt, in this case I'm guessing it's Kurt and Rogue, his and Mystique's cubs"

"You seem to know a lot about demons, Creed" Azazel seems even more amused by this but Creed was not as he replied blankly "you can say I've been around, heard some things...enough to know yer never what ya seem to be at first glance, but I can trust ya a lot more than Erik at this point and next time, X-23, don't fight me with kiddie gloves or hold back."

**...**

**Elsewhere, Michael was receiving minor treatment for his injuries from Seraph, the demons had a habit of weakening his ability to heal, even when suppressed as that gave them the chance they wanted to take his body for their own.**

Seraph busied himself, healing Jason as best as he could with his powers...the only thing he can claim to be at fault for, being the God he is, was that the more he healed Michael, the more his wounds seem to resist, painfully on Michael's part but he was now falling into a fitful sleep but that only made him restless as he'd be under said demons' mercy until he wakes seven days from now and he'd never be thanked once for his service.

**He decided now was the time to leave the man to his rest but before he could leave, he sensed a presence as Omaris and Maxidan seemed to share control of the sleeping Michael, which was odd as they never agreed enough with each other to have more than one of them controlling Michael at the same time, or so they made it seem.**

"Aw...poor little Godling" Omaris mocked "don't tell me you're afraid of six teeny, tiny demons?"

Seraph looked mad, he disliked how those demons mocked his attempts every chance they got, especially the Asura demon, Omaris as the multi-armed demon knew just what rattled his old bones and Maxidan made him afraid for his physical well being at all times without him admitting to any of that either "Stay still, already!" Maxidan made a grab for him which he avoided with Maxidan's Devil Grip that meant death to anyone caught in it's hold "I've never tasted a God before" he licked his lips as Demodon snapped at him "and you never will before I do!"

**As Seraph made it to the only door, Demodon/Michael jumps at him, biting him deeply in the neck causing him to fall in terror and pain.**

Seraph put a hand over his wound, giving the demon a glare as he smiled, blood dripping from his lips.

"The demons hunger and it's time to feed..." Maxidan said as Seraph snapped "So this is why Michael smells like death and human innards...you've been driving him madder through cannibalism?!"

Maxidan stops smiling and was deathly serious "Shut up...you old, little cheesecake" his head snapped up as he lunged again "shut your trap and get in my belly!"

**Seraph used the door as a shield, knocking the possessed man back as he grabbed Michael's keys while he was stunned and locked him in that room.**

"I should get started on that counter seal" Seraph said walking fast down the halls of this sparsely used California formally an old Military base turned prison by Michael to facilitate more of his pets.

* * *

_**...Now...**_

* * *

**Seraph had currently locked himself in his Alchemy Lab, more so to keep Michael from eating him alive than keeping himself in. Michael was a very smart individual, his demons are even smarter and are bound to find a way in eventually.**

**A man, among many who stand between Michael and Seraph came up to him, he was one of Seraph's Acolytes and was determined to protect the man that was God in his eyes with his very life**

"My liege..." the man said behind Seraph suddenly had an annoyed look but didn't answer "You were supposed to help this 'Michael' cope with these...monsters in him while you find a way to be rid of them, were you not?"

Seraph nodded, same pissed look on his face "Your point...get to it" he ordered

"Well, leave his capture to us, if you may master" another bowed on one knee but they were interrupted by a psychotic laugh from Michael somewhere in the base.

_'He really isn't playing around this time'_ Seraph thought as he was closer to finishing his counter-seal, having studied Michael's original seal for long enough to duplicate the method of it's creation.

* * *

**Elsewhere in the base, Michael was tearing through hordes of Seraph's followers.**

"Stop right there, monster!" an acolyte snarled at the possessed man as he growled at the remark and took one step forward replying "make me...you lot aren't even worth a snack to us" Michael took a deep breath as many looked between furious and terrified as he breathed black fire like a Dragon, scorching an incoming horde of men to ashes.

"Get him" they yelled above as they used water based spells to surprise him and freeze him solid.

The men calmed a bit but there was still a ridiculously strong intent to kill coming off of Michael now, causing many to faint from that alone.

They should have known better and gotten away at once as one of the Mages concluded "Inform Lord Seraph of his capture at once" as one of the weaker warriors entered the lab. What none of them saw was a violent crack in the ice as Michael's eyes glowed.

* * *

**Meanwhile, with Seraph...**

Seraph was almost done with the seal, when one of the men interrupted him, his fist pounding the table before him "you'd best have a demon on your tail to be bothering me now!" he grunted.

"Master" the man said frantically bowing and trying to stop himself from shaking, having accidentally made eye contact with Michael both before and after his impromptu capture "we have detained the possessed-one, but it is unknown how long we can hold him before..."

A few more taps on the keyboard as if no one was speaking and Seraph raised an eyebrow "I have finally found the right incantations to break the seal...take me to him" he turned to the men.

The first man went to the door, opening it.

**What greeted him was a bloodbath, remains of men and blood everywhere like a scene out of Nightmare on Elms Street and Michael ripping the last man's head clean off, blood splashing on the surprised man's face.**

**Michael looked at him, that alone making him flinch. The man would've closed the door, but with his accelerated speed, Michael made it past the door and grabbed his neck.**

A psychotic smirk appeared on Michael's face "Should I rip your heart out?"

The man shook his head, begging him not to "Please, I beg of you..."

"Get out of my sight fast then..." Michael dropped him and the smirk looking at Seraph "Seraph!" He seemed to have woken up after the fight, quickly suppressing the separate consciousnesses of the demons and not remembering ever biting Seraph or killing a percentage of his already expendable followers.

"Yes, Mr. Darkstone?" Seraph said innocently, or innocent enough to think he has Michael fooled, earning a glare from his superior.

"Don't you 'yes, Mr. Darkstone' me!" He looked like he wanted to gag, having never been a cannibal of his own free will "and get your ass over here"

**Seraph did as he was told with a heavy sigh, not seeing Michael's sneer or narrow eyes to the fact that he actually did so.**

* * *

**The two were now standing before each other, Michael seemingly of no threat...seemingly, meanwhile at the Mansion, the X-Men were in the DR with Drill Sargent Wolverine and under the watch of their Executioner, Azazel who was still being watched closely by Victor who was far less trusting of his motives and very presence than Logan.**

"Danger Room 004" Logan said the command as the virtual location changed to a forest location "your jobs are to defeat the other team...at any cost" Logan said impartially to the mutant teams inside.

**Azazel narrowed his eyes as everyone seemed to notice his gaze upon them, especially Kurt.**

**Team one consists of Kurt, X-23, Jean Grey, Iceman, a still antsy Colossus and Multiple while Team two consisted of Spyke, Cyclops, Rogue, Shadowcat, Angel, Magma and Berzerker.**

There was silence in the training area as everyone readied themselves both on and off the virtual battlefield as Logan's voice broke the silence, his worries a bit evident of the unknown "Begin" and the mutants were fighting/training.

Rogue held her own against Multiple, stealing his powers of self-duplication in the process "bring it" the team of five Rogues said bravely to a team of five Multiples who took on a Rogue each, smirking "You asked for it, dog pile!"

Azazel tensed upon seeing this and took a step forward only to be stopped by Logan's arm in his way "Hold yer brakes there, bub, no one interrupts my Danger Room sessions except fer Chuck" he grunts "besides...Kurt and Rogue...they can handle themselves in a fight" Azazel was expressionless, giving Multiple a_ 'watch it'_ look than sent shivers up his spine.

Storm was even glaring at Azazel over Logan's shoulder "You know...your son is a remarkable fighter..." She said as Azazel glanced at her, not in the mood to care since he wasn't afraid of any of them replying "I know, but no one...absolutely NO one kills him before I do unless they want to join him"

**Angel and Kurt were getting closer to each other without either being aware of it as Azazel narrowed his eyes dangerously seeing that Archangel was beginning to take over Warren again. As for Michael, Seraph had seen through the demons' trick to get him and opened a portal to another location far from this base after avoiding a death grip from the mutant yet again, the portal closing before Michael could pursue him.**

* * *

**In another location, Gambit, Wanda, Toad and Juggernaut decide to return to Michael's base where he last saw Rogue, not very surprised to find it empty, hoping to dig up some info on Michael.**

"You sure no one's here?" Juggernaut looked around, he heard from Xavier briefly of what Michael was capable of and part of him both did and did not want to cross paths with him as Wanda looked annoyed "I doubt anyone would stay here after whatever destroyed half this place..." She looked at Cain "...even the X-Men"

"Hey, I saw that guy take on a furious Colossus alone, not to mention an angry Wolverine and Sabretooth as well" he clutched onto Wanda receiving a glare "don't worry, Wanda, I'll protect ya though."

Everyone looked at Gambit, who seemed not to be angry anymore by Toad's words "If you gon' protect her, which I bet would be reversed since you can barely protect ya own hide" he smirked a bit "Who's gonna protect you?"

Toad scowled, not answering Remy as he cursed under his breath and the heard the sound of a body falling to the ground as Juggernaut groaned "Stinker can go with Wanda while you can see what you can find in that computer..."

He walked off as Toad asked "Yo, what about you?" as Juggernaut glared at him "I'll have a look around to make sure that we are alone...remember, our days as the Brotherhood and Magneto's little protection and tools of a, now pointless, war are over. Don't act like we have to endure each other any more than we need to." He looked at Remy, who looked slightly outraged but ignored them otherwise before agreeing with him, looking at Wanda "he's right, you don't have to be stuck under that jackass you're supposed to call a father" he growled referring to Magneto, someone he'd rather not think of right now.

**The now former Acolytes/Brotherhood members share a nod before Remy remains at the computer, finding it still functional, Juggernaut stalked off alone and Wanda walked away with Toad not far behind...Seraph emerges from a portal within the facility without their knowledge, having barely survived Michael and just becoming aware that Juggernaut was looking around not far from his current location. He was afraid but pissed off beyond belief and was a force not to be taken lightly in a bad mood.**

"Just my day..." Seraph snarled in his hiding place as he compressed a deep slash wound in his stomach as he noted Juggernaut's unmistakable booming footsteps nearby "What is HE doing here...it seems...I have...not been" he spied on the invulnerable mutant as he felt his consciousness fading "found...yet though" he collapsed as he passed out.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Jason and Elijah went back to Bayville and was spying on the X-Mansion. There, they saw the X-Men Spyke, Colossus, Scott, Jean, Amara, Kitty, Kurt and the Demon Lord, Azazel entering the forest they were in.**

"Well, look who it is" Elijah smirked darkly at Kurt who was more interested in his current girlfriend, Amara than the red demon who was trying to gain his attention "the little blue kid, but who's the red one?" He wondered looking at Azazel's face with a stoic expression.

Jason, on the other hand was less interested in any of the males as he was in the girls/young women as he replied "Who gives a shit, really?" He asked blatantly "let's just pick one to take out, so I can enact my plan" he gave a feral grin "It seems the ferals aren't with them though" as he saw Rogue and Angel catching up to them and grinned wider and more evilly "this is gonna be fun." The two retreated into the forest, planning their ambush.

* * *

**As for the X-Men, they were given a little rest by Logan which they found strange but took anyway before he'd changed his mind.**

"So...you're really real aren't you?" Kurt asks, still not entirely believing that Azazel was not a figment of his imagination or worse, his fears as he touched him to be sure he was real.

Azazel's eye turned to his, causing an involuntary flinch as he replied, smiling "you needn't do that, son, I assure you that I am very real and not a figment of your nightmares..." His face hardened as he felt Kurt touch his face as his voice turned the purest form of evil Kurt has ever seen other than Michael "I said stop, unless you want to experience what it feels like to be in one of my nightmares" that made Kurt freeze "while I am proud that you have grown into quite the fighter, your proof of that against Michael was abysmal, to say the least and I'll kill you myself if I see any less that perfect fighting skills from my son"

At the coldness his father displayed to him, Kurt took a few steps back "You-y-you're just like her!" He exclaimed and Azazel knew he was referring to his ex-wife who was a worst mother to Kurt as she was a terrible wife to Azazel "Kurt..." He tried to right something he personally did not see as a wrong but Kurt did as Angel appeared with Rogue, both glaring at the two.

"Azazel..." Angel said, transforming into Archangel and growling as Azazel glared at him and shook his head without an answer as he walked away.

Archangel took one step towards him and his glare intensified "go ahead, try it...and that will be your last step on this Earth."

Kurt smiled a bit, knowing his so-called father wasn't someone to mess with but that was not how Archangel took his reason for that smile as he quickly grabbed his throat "find something funny, Wagner?"

Azazel had disappeared just then, as a voice said "put...him...down RIGHT NOW!" Azazel says harshly and coldly.

Victor was nearby, spying on them without even Azazel's knowledge as he glared at Archangel "Better do as he says, idiot..." but realizes that Archangel wasn't the type to do as he was told at all times or none of the time if the one involved was his natural enemy, a demon like Azazel "Oh, no..." he said knowing that he'd finally get to see Azazel in action, despite being equally as repulsive to Sabertooth, beyond that of Michael.

Azazel appeared quickly, throwing Kurt out of his way with a hard pull Archangel wasn't expecting from the weak, in terms of appearance only, Azazel who lunges at him, barely missing a strike at his throat with his spade tipped tail grazing his cheek as they had a glaring competition, much to Sabretooth's dismay as he wants them to fight.

* * *

**By this time, Peter had ventured far off on his own needing to be away from others after his encounter with Michael and being a former member of the Brotherhood, he's very angry at Magneto for rumors he heard of him hiring Michael circulating even in the X-Men mansion.**

**He doesn't know it, but he is not completely alone, as Elijah and Jason X were waiting for one of the group to venture off and away from Azazel and the unknowing to them, watchful eye of Victor Creed.**

"Hey, Colossus..." Jason said, knowing well who he was as he looked back to see the older man mere feet from him jumping back in horror "you...you're that monster!"

"So, what're you capable of, I wonder?" Jason said walking slowly towards Peter and cracking his knuckles with a small smile like a psychopath but Elijah's arm came across the man's way, earning a maniacal glare as he said...

"X...I think I can handle this one..."

His skin turned as hard as diamonds, though he looked more like a glass monster than as stunning as Emma Frost's diamond form as Peter went into his metal form, noting that he was nowhere near Michael as he growled "...and what are you supposed to be?"

"Hey, I struggle to keep from turning into this thing, y'know!" Elijah said in annoyance and a much deeper, creepier voice as Jason smirked at his acquaintance's expense yet again, although they were now equal in height "at least you can actually get a woman in your life for once with that fugly mug of yours, Eli" earning a glare from Elijah which only made him laughed harder, going down on his knees and thoroughly over-enjoying the moment until Elijah scowled "Quit it, Jason Pryde!" causing the still larger than him man to come to his face with a unusually calm look, passing his finger down his cheek with a sadistic stare and tone "...we'll continue this later, you bet" he grinned at Peter, who has already begun to use his powers to turn his skin to metal and despite his strength, he was no match for the two, although Jason intentionally lets him do a number on him before Piotr is knocked out and Elijah takes his form, wrestling Jason and calling to the others for help after hiding the unconscious body of the real Peter in a cave before sealing it shut.

* * *

**Back with the X-Men, Azazel was about to throttle both Rogue and Kurt and break Archangel's neck when he and Victor were the first to hear Peter call out for help.**

Azazel teleported away with no warning, confusing everyone as Archangel clenched his fist "Where does that coward think he's going?!"

Sabretooth appears among the group "Go back to the mansion now, I smell some strangely familiar and very bad blood around here somewhere..."

"But, vhere's Peter?" Kurt looked around in worry as Victor glared at them "Not my damn concern, back to the mansion NOW!" he said taking off, leaving them no room for argument as he went after Azazel but Kurt stops him, earning a glare as he said "Be careful out there"

Victor found it strange that the teen, considered his enemy for the past two or three years now, was worried about his safety but knew they had something in common now, they were both tortured by Michael Darkstone, a man who Victor has speculations of his own about concerning demon pacts as he took off, nodding "you too..."

With Jason, Azazel was watching the two fight without them even being aware of it as he narrowed his eyes on Peter _'How is he able to fight off a more powerful opponent in his condition...?'_ Azazel, however, wasn't an idiot and knew what they were both capable of, especially if someone got off on the wrong foot with them, and this fight seemed like nothing more than a spar to Azazel or...kids wrestling in dirt.

Peter punched Jason hard in the mouth, drawing first blood as the man looked incredibly angered by that but by the time Sabretooth got there, they saw him raise one hand and say "I...surrender" As his arms were bound at the wrists

Sabretooth and Azazel were both amazed and speechless "He..." Azazel said as Victor finished for him in a pissed mood "What?!" He also watched Azazel's reaction.

He was hoping to see Azazel get riled up enough to fight them both by speaking loudly on purpose as Azazel looked at him, smiling.

Suddenly, Victor could tell that he knew what he was after "Do you wish to see me fight so much that you'd challenge me, feral?" Azazel asked in his sweet threatening way of speaking as Victor scowled "I don't know what yer talkin' about..." He looked away but Azazel did not even try to believe him "okay, keep lying to yourself as much as you need to...we should tell the runt about this" he felt a splitting headache returning.

"About what?" Victor asked annoyed that he sensed almost NO intent to kill from the Demon Lord "there's no 'this' to tell the runt, tell Xavier" that made the very noticeable amount K.I strike him "you've got some nerve telling me what to do, but we'll go to Xavier...hopefully the runt will be with him" His eyes flashed "after all, in a few years, his and Magneto's souls will be ripe for the picking when they die...not by my hand, by the way."

* * *

**He took Victor's hand and he was teleported right into a meeting between Xavier and his staff, both earning a death glare from Logan and neither caring.**

Victor noticed a ruckus downstairs and went to see the X-Brats arrive with Jason X Cain as their prisoner due to his 'surrender' but his arms were no longer bound.

"What's going on down here?" Victor asked as they all, with the exception of Angel who left, had innocence written all over their faces.

"Nothing" Kitty pouted as Jean yelped as Jason forces himself on her "hey, beautiful...kiss me" he attempted to kiss her lips when he saw a flash of red across from him, Cyclops with his hand on his shades and burning red eyes behind them "Step off, old man before you get fried."

Jason remained still and stared at Scott with a neutral emotion before deeming that he was of no threat to him and turning back to Jean, her arms pinned in his one hand as he planted a kiss her on the lips before "Squirm all ya want...I like when they play hard to get!"

"Well well" Logan said coming into the room with Azazel and Xavier, he was calm...with no emotion and a dead serious frown "You're gonna get off of her if you know what's good fee ya, bub" his blue eyes as glaciers but not a growl came from him as Jason slowly crawled off Jean "fine..." He grinned sadistically "let's talk"

* * *

**Suddenly, a roar sounded through the mansion as everyone but a stoic Logan and a smiling Jason were surprised.**

Victor entered the room in one of his rages as he remembered Jason's sneering ass from when Michael was using him to get Logan "talk this out?!" Victor looked like he was in unimaginable pain and feeling more rage and hatred than he's ever had against anyone...save for his abusive father "I ain't got the patience fer this bullshit!" He charged at Jason, still sitting on the couch as all others used common sense and stayed out of his way as he pounced on Jason, who still rolled out of the way at the last second as Storm flung the window open, summoning lightning to knock Jason to his knees.

"Want a rematch, huh, exotic femme fatale?" Jason said with a look as if he could see right into Storm's soul as he began to get up slowly "It'll...take...more than that...to take...me down!" Another bolt and he was out.

**Jean, using telekinesis with Beast and Logan held Victor back until he calmed down a bit.**

Kurt was standing inches from Jason's face when his eyes snapped open, causing Azazel to be ready "Aren't you aware that I'm still alive, brat?" He snarls.

That caused the Elf to jump back into Logan's arms, shaking for some unknown reason "he's still alive..."

Logan was silent for a moment before mirroring Jason with a dark smile of his own "I got an idea..."

Jason was tied up an kept in the lower level of the mansion, in hopes of Logan both interrogating him and keeping him from being killed by Sabretooth...for as long as he was cooperative.

* * *

**Elsewhere, at Michael's Base, Mystique was outside in the snow with a cloak on and equipped with various small, easy to carry and hide but still dangerous weapons as she took the form of Jason X Cain.**

"So...this is Michael Darkstone" she looked at an old picture of him as she smiled evilly, taking the form of Jason X as she did "I think revenge is best served cold, you monster..." She made her way down the hillside towards the base.

* * *

**Her only objective...kill Michael Darkstone no matter what.**

* * *

**A/N - Uh oh, the real Jason X gives himself up to the X-Men to get back at Storm and closer to X-23 while Mystique takes his form to gain Michael's trust but what happens when she meets Seraph and what does Seraph plan to do to evade the now former Acolytes, Toad, Scarlett Witch, Gambit and Juggernaut? (By the way, this was not the full extent of Elijah's powers...more about him will be revealed)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 8**

**Azazel does the voiceover...**

_...Last time on X-Men Evolution..._

**Seraph had currently locked himself in his Alchemy Lab, more so to keep Michael from eating him alive than keeping himself in. Michael was a very smart individual, his demons are even smarter and are bound to find a way in eventually.**

A man, among many who stand between Michael and Seraph came up to him, he was one of Seraph's Acolytes and was determined to protect the man that was God in his eyes with his very life

"My liege..." the man said behind Seraph suddenly had an annoyed look but didn't answer "You were supposed to help this 'Michael' cope with these...monsters in him while you find a way to be rid of them, were you not?"

Seraph nodded, same pissed look on his face "Your point...get to it" he ordered

"Well, leave his capture to us, if you may master" another bowed on one knee but they were interrupted by a psychotic laugh from Michael somewhere in the base.

'He really isn't playing around this time' Seraph thought as he was closer to finishing his counter-seal, having studied Michael's original seal for long enough to duplicate the method of it's creation.

...

"Stop right there, monster!" an acolyte snarled at the possessed man as he growled at the remark and took one step forward replying "make me...you lot aren't even worth a snack to us" Michael took a deep breath as many looked between furious and terrified as he breathed black fire like a Dragon, scorching an incoming horde of men to ashes.

"Get him" they yelled above as they used water based spells to surprise him and freeze him solid.

The men calmed a bit but there was still a ridiculously strong intent to kill coming off of Michael now, causing many to faint from that alone.

They should have known better and gotten away at once as one of the Mages concluded "Inform Lord Seraph of his capture at once" as one of the weaker warriors entered the lab. What none of them saw was a violent crack in the ice as Michael's eyes glowed.

...

"Yes, Mr. Darkstone?" Seraph said innocently, or innocent enough to think he has Michael fooled, earning a glare from his superior.

"Don't you 'yes, Mr. Darkstone' me!" He looked like he wanted to gag, having never been a cannibal of his own free will "and get your ass over here"

Seraph did as he was told with a heavy sigh, not seeing Michael's sneer or narrow eyes to the fact that he actually did so.

...

The two were now standing before each other, Michael seemingly of no threat...seemingly, meanwhile at the Mansion, the X-Men were in the DR with Drill Sargent Wolverine and under the watch of their Executioner, Azazel who was still being watched closely by Victor who was far less trusting of his motives and very presence than Logan.

"Danger Room 004" Logan said the command as the virtual location changed to a forest location "your jobs are to defeat the other team...at any cost" Logan said impartially to the mutant teams inside.

Azazel narrowed his eyes as everyone seemed to notice his gaze upon them, especially Kurt.

Team one consists of Kurt, X-23, Jean Grey, Iceman, a still antsy Colossus and Multiple while Team two consisted of Spyke, Cyclops, Rogue, Shadowcat, Angel, Magma and Berzerker.

...

**The now former Acolytes/Brotherhood members share a nod before Remy remains at the computer, finding it still functional, Juggernaut stalked off alone and Wanda walked away with Toad not far behind...Seraph emerges from a portal within the facility without their knowledge, having barely survived Michael and just becoming aware that Juggernaut was looking around not far from his current location. He was afraid but pissed off beyond belief and was a force not to be taken lightly in a bad mood.**

"Just my day..." Seraph snarled in his hiding place as he compressed a deep slash wound in his stomach as he noted Juggernaut's unmistakable booming footsteps nearby "What is HE doing here...it seems...I have...not been" he spied on the invulnerable mutant as he felt his consciousness fading "found...yet though" he collapsed as he passed out.

...

"Hey, Colossus..." Jason said, knowing well who he was as he looked back to see the older man mere feet from him jumping back in horror "you...you're that monster!"

"So, what're you capable of, I wonder?" Jason said walking slowly towards Peter and cracking his knuckles with a small smile like a psychopath but Elijah's arm came across the man's way, earning a maniacal glare as he said...

"X...I think I can handle this one..."

His skin turned as hard as diamonds, though he looked more like a glass monster than as stunning as Emma Frost's diamond form as Peter went into his metal form, noting that he was nowhere near Michael as he growled "...and what are you supposed to be?"

"Hey, I struggle to keep from turning into this thing, y'know!" Elijah said in annoyance and a much deeper, creepier voice as Jason smirked at his acquaintance's expense yet again, although they were now equal in height "at least you can actually get a woman in your life for once with that fugly mug of yours, Eli" earning a glare from Elijah which only made him laughed harder, going down on his knees and thoroughly over-enjoying the moment until Elijah scowled "Quit it, Jason Pryde!" causing the still larger than him man to come to his face with a unusually calm look, passing his finger down his cheek with a sadistic stare and tone "...we'll continue this later, you bet" he grinned at Peter, who has already begun to use his powers to turn his skin to metal and despite his strength, he was no match for the two, although Jason intentionally lets him do a number on him before Piotr is knocked out and Elijah takes his form, wrestling Jason and calling to the others for help after hiding the unconscious body of the real Peter in a cave before sealing it shut.

...

Victor found it strange that the teen, considered his enemy for the past two or three years now, was worried about his safety but knew they had something in common now, they were both tortured by Michael Darkstone, a man who Victor has speculations of his own about concerning demon pacts as he took off, nodding "you too..."

Peter punched Jason hard in the mouth, drawing first blood as the man looked incredibly angered by that but by the time Sabretooth got there, they saw him raise one hand and say "I...surrender" As his arms were bound at the wrists

Sabretooth and Azazel were both amazed and speechless "He..." Azazel said as Victor finished for him in a pissed mood "What?!" as he also watched

...

Victor noticed a ruckus downstairs and went to see the X-Brats arrive with Jason X Cain as their prisoner due to his 'surrender' but his arms were no longer bound.

"What's going on down here?" Victor asked as they all, with the exception of Angel who left, had innocence written all over their faces.

"Nothing" Kitty pouted as Jean yelped as Jason forces himself on her "hey, beautiful...kiss me" he attempted to kiss her lips when he saw a flash of red across from him, Cyclops with his hand on his shades and burning red eyes behind them "Step off, old man before you get fried."

Jason remained still and stared at Scott with a neutral emotion before deeming that he was of no threat to him and turning back to Jean, her arms pinned in his one hand as he planted a kiss her on the lips before "Squirm all ya want...I like when they play hard to get!"

"Well well" Logan said coming into the room with Azazel and Xavier, he was calm...with no emotion and a dead serious frown "You're gonna get off of her if you know what's good fer ya, bub" his blue eyes as glaciers but not a growl came from him as Jason slowly crawled off Jean "fine..." He grinned sadistically "let's talk"

**Suddenly, a roar sounded through the mansion as everyone but a stoic Logan and a smiling Jason were surprised.**

Victor entered the room in one of his rages as he remembered Jason's sneering ass from when Michael was using him to get Logan "talk this out?!" Victor looked like he was in unimaginable pain and feeling more rage and hatred than he's ever had against anyone...save for his abusive father "I ain't got the patience fer this bullshit!" He charged at Jason, still sitting on the couch as all others used common sense and stayed out of his way as he pounced on Jason, who still rolled out of the way at the last second as Storm flung the window open, summoning lightning to knock Jason to his knees.

"Want a rematch, huh, exotic femme fatale?" Jason said with a look as if he could see right into Storm's soul as he began to get up slowly "It'll...take...more than that...to take...me down!" Another bolt and he was out.

**Jean, using telekinesis with Beast and Logan held Victor back until he calmed down a bit.**

Kurt was standing inches from Jason's face when his eyes snapped open, causing Azazel to be ready "Aren't you aware that I'm still alive, brat?" He snarls.

That caused the Elf to jump back into Logan's arms, shaking for some unknown reason "he's still alive..."

Logan was silent for a moment before mirroring Jason with a dark smile of his own "I got an idea..."

...

**Elsewhere, at Michael's Base, Mystique was outside in the snow with a cloak on and equipped with various small, easy to carry and hide but still dangerous weapons as she took the form of Jason X Cain.**

"So...this is Michael Darkstone" she looked at an old picture of him as she smiled evilly, taking the form of Jason X as she did "I think revenge is best served cold, you monster..." She made her way down the hillside towards the base.

* * *

_...Now..._

* * *

"Logan...we do not condone torture in this household, you know that!" Xavier scolded the feral, finding it hard to enter a certain part of Logan's mind and unable to change it.

"Chuck, you expect me to sit idly by with that sick twisted pedophile prowlin' in our mansion after he tried to kiss a much younger - not to mention a student of MINE - and not do somethin' about it?!" Logan snapped back as the X-Men shared mixed looks.

"Make your mind up fast" Jason said, looking Logan straight in the eye "I ain't a squealer though, so you'll be getting nothing from me."

"We'll see" Logan smirked popping his claws "...just how much of a squealer ya really are."

Storm looked at Victor, his calmness betraying his anguish and anger "Logan won't do anything TOO rash, will he?"

"No..." Victor said to Storm "he's become too lovey-dovey with you X-Men idiots to do that...then again..." he left it at that leaving the room with a worried look.

_'Then again...'_ Victor thought sitting outside where he could watch Logan and keep his eye on a certain red demon _'as much as I could care less fer this Jason, the runt hasn't been himself since we last crossed paths with Michael...neither have I, actually'_

Victor tensed for a second, finding Xavier watching him.

Charles gave Victor a look like he was hiding, scheming or just waiting for something to just happen...usually Victor ignored this or go find and pick a fight with the runt but he was in the mood for neither with Jason around.

"Something about Rasputin's scent irks me...what do you want?" Victor glared at a suddenly cautious Peter before casting his gaze on Xavier as he joined him on the patio as he watched Rogue to the point that he almost didn't notice the telepath "What do ya want?"

"You seem...distracted" Xavier noted and by Victor's glare, he was getting pissed as he replied gruffly "I'm fine..." Victor stood up before Xavier could say more "I need to have a word with Harlequin" he pointed at Rogue who was also outside getting some well deserved fresh air "Just keep that good-fer-nothin' so-called pop o' hers out of my way" he glared around finding no visual sign of Azazel.

"Her name is Rogue...not 'Harlequin', Victor" Xavier stared at the feral who almost wanted to laugh but smirked "yeah, I know to you and the runt, she's 'Rogue' or 'half-pint' but to me, she is and always will be Harlequin and I know her better than you think but I doubt she'd tell you that...after all, she was with the Acolytes first and never had a problem with it then or now"

"You may go...I'll have Warren and Kurt keep him busy." Xavier said as Victor went to Rogue, scooping her into his arms and dashing into a forest.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" Rogue snapped.

Victor gave a wicked grin "now now, Harlequin, we need to talk" he frowns suddenly "...about yer new daddy and his current occupation, I swear if I meant to harm ya, I would've by now"

That calmed Rogue down a bit as Victor puts her down with the closest thing he could have to a look of admiration.

"Fine..." Rogue puffed "I'll hear you out, Creed..." She seems cautious of the feral's sudden change in demeanor.

* * *

**Back with Logan, he was busy with Jason...very busy.**

The Wolverine's blue eyes were full of hatred right now, making Jason uncertain of his motives of tying him to a metal chair around his stomach far too tightly for comfort and his wrists also too tightly bound to the freezing metal table before him and the darkness around him didn't make him feel right with Wolverine lurking somewhere.

"Hey, pig" Logan said coming before Jason, a lantern in one hand and claws out on the other as Jason glared at him "What's the meaning of this?" He asked before smirking at something he heard Xavier say to Logan earlier "You X-Men don't kill...you touch so much as a hair on me with those claws and the old man's gonna be pretty disappointed."

Logan was impartial to this as he replied "Rules are meant to be bent, bub...I'll get my answers my way and he can't - no, won't protect ya from me or Creed" Logan stuck his claws right through Jason's hand to prove his point as he screamed but was heard by no one "See? No one's coming to yer rescue this time, now on to business and ya can scream all ya want, the walls are soundproof as well as telepath proof fer good measure ,"

_'Just like him...he has his eyes!'_ Jason's eyes flared in pure rage for a second then agony as Logan removed his claw slowly, noticing the fear in his eyes for the entire agonizing duration "What reasons exactly did you have fer comin' here for and where's the big man?" Logan asked, patiently for the most part, although his eyes were saying to not push his buttons...something that Jason intended to use to his new torturer's expense.

"What 'big man' are we talkin' about here exactly, Weapon X?" Jason sneered as Logan's eyes widened at his old codename, soon replaced by a angry look that said he didn't get the answers he desired.

Logan cracked his knuckles before popping his claws "You ain't tellin' me where Michael's hiding, huh?" He cracked his neck with very poorly hidden disgust as Jason replied either with great nerve or even greater stupidity "I thought we'd already been through the resounding 'NO' part already" he said, avoiding eye contact with Logan or looking at the new holes in his hand...one of many to come.

"This is goin' to take a while then..." Logan growled to himself.

* * *

**At Michael's base, he seems to be distracted as Jason waltzed in, thinking Michael was none the wiser.**

**The demons however, were neither fooled nor confused, knowing it was the traitorous deserter, Mystique even through her guise.**

"Boss" Mystique/Jason said bowing on one knee as he replied shortly "Unless you have a proper reason to be bothering me or an impending death wish, Cain, leave..."

**...Within Michael's body however, the demons were watching Mystique and they hated her for a betrayal that nearly caused the death of their young prince and princess, Nightcrawler and Rogue, she was hiding the girl from his reach until recently and dropping the boy off a wooden bridge after being abused and pursued by a demon originally sent only to kill her and take the boy, Azazel gave the demon a human reflection and a voice that was very familiar to her at the time, Magneto's.**

"That Jason...since when does he refer to anyone as the boss of him?" Azuri said watching through Michael's eyes but not speaking through his lips from the man's mind, watching as Jason/Mystique left, glancing back at Michael, who paid no mind to him, with a very strong intent to kill but it was pale in combined Killing Intents of each of the six demons "I sense a stronger amount of fear from him for some reason"

Midaelis merely grunted, sure his hatred for Mystique was there as much as the other demons' discontent but agreeing with Azuri, she was afraid of someone or something "I think we should keep our eyes on her, Azuri?" He looked at the demon who preferred to be alone and sneered as he nodded "I wonder if Master will reward us for this little...entertaining morsel" Azuri said with a smirk.

"I'm coming as well..." Xarix grinned a wide evil grin but still seemed to have blank eyes "I can't let you have all the fun now, can I, now that we know she isn't dead?" Azuri only rolled his eyes at the comment.

**Two smoke-like wisps extracted themselves painfully from Michael's very being, causing an explicit groan as one took the slender pitch black form of Azuri and the other took the form of the humanoid dog demon, Xarix as they nodded to each other, Xarix still sneering and followed Jason stealthily. Not that he cared as much for stealth as his companion as long as his intended prey was in his stomach at the end of the day.**

Mystique walked through the several cells on the compound and what she saw could bring her to tears, some of these mutants were between dying and dead and those who were alive were still fighting just to remains sane while others were forced to abandon their humanity just to make sense of things again with their forced loyalty to Michael and thirst for vengeance, ages varying from children to middle-aged adults, males and females were treated with equal cruelty.

Dominik Cross was one such mutant seeking vengeance, once one of Seraph's most exalted and powerful sages, he saw the old fool as God as did all his followers.

Cross, however was anything but some divine sage and his powers were more of a divine wrath and even then, most of it is still locked away due partially to his rough childhood. He was found as a homeless child by Seraph and brought to the church that saved his life, giving his life to Seraph and his cause to purify the world from then on.

This all changed one day, when Seraph found Michael Darkstone in a similar way, who seemed to be suffering from an ailment of some kind, he later learned that the 'ailment' was just a guise and he was possessed by six demons, who were as powerful as they were evil and whose very presence he could feel, going against Seraph's urge to join forces with Michael, he attempted to leave the two after seeing Michael's first strong attempt to eat Seraph.

Michael, refusing to be turned down by Seraph, fakes seeing his 'just cause' that he was God, when this failed he captured and nearly killed Cross for marking him with the Death Tarot Card. A hobby of his, merely to curb his eternal boredom as Jason passes by him without a glance. A dead giveaway that he was not the real Jason as the two despised each other to the point that Dominik wanted to start a war just to get back at him and kill him along with both Seraph and Michael.

Dominik sat in the lotus position, his stoic blue green eyes staring at the deck of Tarot cards as a golden glow filled them for a few seconds as he pull the card at the top of the face down deck, revealing the doppelganger card. The large man passed his hand though his black ponytail, which appears red naturally under a certain light "Interesting..." he mutters to himself, his eyes on Mystique.

"What a horrifying place..." Mystique says to herself returning to her original form as screams of horror and groans of agony can be heard from literally all around her.

The card in Dominik's hand then gave off a short glow as he glanced at it "very interesting...Bride of the Shinigami and Vessel of Light and Darkness?" He twitched looking as the demons made their move and he made his "not so damn fast" his voice came as a cruel whisper as he aims his palm at Mystique as a black aura took the form of an eagle that snatches her into the air just as the demons and a Celtic Guardian formed from the very floor and he commanded "Guardian, attack" and the warrior made of vine and stone swung his powerful sword, slashing Xarix's chest and almost beheading Azuri forcing the demons to retreat back to Michael's body.

"Open the door" Dominik said rising to his full height of almost 14 feet and the eagle dropped her to her feet.

"Maybe when boss leaves..." Mystique tried to keep her guise up before such an intimidating person and the two summoned creatures stayed aside, the warrior sitting on the floor against the wall giving an eerie moan and the eagle landing across from her as Dominik extends his hand "Cut the bullshit, woman!" He snapped "Your disguise is useless... as your presence is already known here."

"Let yourself out then" she snapped back backing into the warrior who merely but forcefully pushed her away and much closer to the cell with little effort "you won't leave here alive then and neither of us have time to argue." The man stated calmly as Raven found a heavy piece of metal and broke the large lock on the door as it swung open.

Dominik merely raises his hand as the guardian and Eagle disappeared as he took his first step out of his cell, eyes glowing white "I'm out of here..." he sounded less happy, more angered but in a calm way reminiscent of Azazel, which sent shivers up and down Raven's spine for some reason.

* * *

**Suddenly Michael, Jason, Seraph and Elijah felt a presence, even Azazel barely felt it as well.**

* * *

Michael swivels around in his chair, his brow twitching "Intruder!" he yelled as hundreds of heavily armed and dangerous men filled the room "bring me the intruder, put the escapee back in his cell and use tremendous force" he commanded as the men chorused "yes, sir."

* * *

**Jason was left unconscious, tied to the same chair only three fingers were missing on each hand, also three toes were gone on his left foot while only three remained on his right.**

Something knocked him back into consciousness and he was alone, he was no squealer but suddenly was having second thoughts "Wolverine..." he said weakly "I'll talk!"

Logan must've heard him because he opened the door not long after.

He looked at him "Well?" he sobbed for a moment, but it was all an act, he simply did NOT want to be around should Cross make his appearance at the mansion "Let me out and I'll tell you everything I know."

Logan walks over to him popping a single claw "lie, bub and I take an eye next" as Jason moved his head back to avoid the claw before he was dragged out on the chair "everyone needs to hear this and my reason to resort to such...measures" Jason scowled, he felt weak and hated it.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Seraph was awake and knew all too well whose MP (Magical Presence) could have literally bitch-slapped him back from death's door as he was not alone here...Dominik Cross, his former student and cult member.**

Seraph was completely numbed, forgetting Michael and the bite wounds he gave him as only a wall separates him and Juggernaut who is not even aware of his presence as Seraph closed his eyes for a few seconds before they open wide, glowing blue "Time to read these fools their rites" he jumps around now facing Juggernaut, who is a full two feet taller than him "I'll speak only once...get out of this place!"

Cain Marko looks at the man and his slowly healing hickey and laughs "how about you get out of my way, old man cuz NOBODY orders the Juggernaut around!"

Rage was all over Seraph's face "Juggernaut..." He spits to the side "learn your place, overgrown imbecile!" He roundhouse kicks the man harder than expected, blowing his helmet off and making him stagger back and hit the wall behind him hard.

That got the attention of Toad and Wanda a distance away as they rushed in "Juggernaut!"

"Leave this place NOW" Seraph's voice boomed "you are not welcome here"

The other two's answer was to attack as he muttered "such foolish children" as he caught a hex blast from Wanda with his bare hands and fired back with his own magical kick, aimed straight for her but Toad got in the way "No!" she yelled as he said with a weak smile "I love you, Wa..." He was cut short as the spell petrified him solid in a blueish-white clear crystal instead of the usual stone petrification.

That made both Juggernaut and Wanda simply snapped "love...such a pathetic and fragile thing, hm?" Seraph asks, back flipping to evade an oncoming punch from behind by Juggernaut but not his backhand to the face.

Gambit has found some data that confirmed some of his fears, Michael was possessed by six demon but that wasn't all...

"Interesting..." He says "this guy's got ties to all the baddies...the Maggia, A.I.M, even a record with S.H.I.E.L.D and isn't that...?"

He digs deeper into a heavily encrypted file under the name 'Project: Weapon X' and after breaking the encryption codes, accidentally opened a video to be greeted by a scream that made him almost jump out of his skin.

A man resembling a younger Logan was strapped to a metal bed over what, to Remy, looked like water and Michael was there but didn't seem to be the one in charge as a man dressed in a military General's uniform waved his hand and nodded for the 'bonding process' to begin as the needles around almost every inch of the man's body whirred to life with a creepy moan and pierced the, now submerged in the liquid, body of Logan to the bone earning a pained howl that made Remy look away but was followed by his pulse stopping.

The men began ill-speaking the seemingly dead Logan about them being responsible for the death of his lover but he seemed to have heard and awoke, really pissed and swinging his new metal claws wildly as a bullet to the head wasn't even enough to kill him. Remy noticed that Michael, on his safe perch far out of the feral's reach, seemed the only one overjoyed by the madness before slipping away from the base.

Gambit thought quickly stopping the video before its completion 'I wonder what 'ol Claws'll think o' this?' as he saves it to a pen drive.

* * *

**At the mansion, Logan is convinced Jason is ready to talk but instead, he clams shut...unless certain conditions are met.**

"Talk!" Logan snarled with a hand on the perv's shoulder as the X-Men and Xavier arrive, all but Creed who was still with Rogue and Azazel who went elsewhere with Kurt.

Xavier began yelling at Logan "Logan, this not the way to get your answers and is absolutely NOT allowed in the mansion...there are younger eyes here"

"I got my answers either way, didn't I?" the feral said "and no one saw or heard a thing"

Xavier looked even more disappointed and Jason saw it...he didn't care but saw it "Poor wittle Weapon X" he mocked chuckling as Logan flinched and glared at him but a persistent knock at the door caught his attention as the person or persons according to Logan's sense of smell seems to have no patience whatsoever, which makes Logan lose his "hold on..." He opened to see Mystique who was avoiding getting near Logan with Dominik Cross standing between them looking in making eye contact with Colossus first "I hear you can find Michael...?" He asks.

"Depends on who's askin', bub" Logan asks as Dominik's eyes fell on a petrified Jason, who has a habit of patronizing him and his somewhat...shifted beliefs and a suddenly fidgety Colossus nearby, looking at his chest rather than his stern, cold eyes "the name's Cross...Dominik Cross"

"Logan...you think we should trust him?" Warren put his hand on Logan's shoulder, earning a somewhat curious look from Dominik.

Logan sighs "sure...fine, add one more psychopath to the mansion"

"You seem to have another traitor amidst...am I right, Elijah, you perverted pest" he looked at Colossus before looking at a Tarot Card "Misplaced Loyalties...you're not planning to finally betray the monstrous man who keeps you fed just to remind you of just how useless you really are, are you?"

All curious eyes were suddenly on Piotr, who was now shaking like a leaf "I-I don't know what you're talking about" he kept his composure physically, but not so much mentally as he thought 'good thing that Creed guy's no here or my goose would be cooked' he gulped as Kitty gave him a look of pure jealousy and anger "I knew it, like, the real Peter would never in a million years ignore me or send other girls dirty looks like that!" that made Logan's pores raise and every hair on his body stand on end but he remains silent, consoling a crying Kitty with a loving hug "there there, half-pint" his voice seemed cold and detached as he said his nickname for Pryde.

* * *

**Elsewhere with Creed and Rogue...**

"I think I'll head back" she turned to leave the feral who was aware that it was only an excuse "Logan must be worried..."

"The runt...he ain't worried" Victor got in her way holding her chin with one hand "what I'd give to hold you in my arms again" he muttered as she took a step back "again?" She retorted as he almost flinched at the pain behind the word.

"Ya haven't gotten any better at lyin', Harlequin..." He grinned but was cut short by Rogue's lips on his, he felt less weakened by her powers than he knew he should be and smirked as they parted "better control of yer powers as well, I see, what did ya see?"

Rogue saw Victor's entire torture at the hands of Michael as if she was the one being tortured "you must be in a lot of pain..." she said passing her hand over a scar that was old but was not sustained by Michael but he quickly turned away "that scar...how'd you get it, if you don't mind me asking?"

"It's personal...even more than my rivalry with the runt" he glared at her in an offended manner "not everyone's parents take the fact that their child's a mutant very well...like Mystique, for example?"

"Or Azazel?" Rogue said looking away as Victor focused his gaze back on her and shook his head "Azazel..." He growled "he's nothing like my old man...if anything, he seems happy that yer both mutants and looks at you like royalty or something"

Victor scowled "make sure and warn him though...that I don't care how powerful he is, his ass is mine if he hurts either of you in any way I don't like"

**Victor goes back to the mansion, carrying Rogue on his back as she nuzzled into his back, forcing the feral to grin until he made it back to the mansion and was greeted at the door by Logan and the scents of the unwanted visitor, Raven and the interesting new visitor, Cross.**

**He remained in a tree spying on them but is found rather quickly by Dominik.**

**Victor lands soundlessly, spying on Dominik who went outside for some fresh air after living in that dungeon for the majority of his childhood and teenage years.**

"15 years in a cage really does a number on ya..." He mutters to himself stretching, well aware that Creed and Rogue both were watching as he stretches his limbs and they pop very loudly then walks inside, seemingly unaware of Victor and Rogue.

Victor was about to leap from his perch when Rogue tapped him, sounding like Azazel was breathing down his neck "Uh, Victor?"

Victor flinched turning around "What?" He snarled in annoyance but was met by Dominik who had his Tarots in a deck case on his hip, his sudden appearance nearly stopped the two's hearts for two seconds flat as he pulls out two cards "Hm..." He makes eye contact with Rogue "Princess of the Demonite and Protector...strange"

"What the hell are ya talkin' about?" Victor looked at him suspiciously as he reached for the Tarot Deck, receiving a neck breaking kick to the face from Dominik, knocking him out of the tree as he landed on all fours, feeling like he was hit upside the head by an Airline Carrier as he growled staring as Dominik lowered himself and Rogue to the ground safely "No one touches my cards, feral, this is your only warning" he said with no emotion.

"Where's Kurt?" Rogue asks suddenly as Victor kept a stony gaze on Dominik "I can't find the scents of him or Azazel, they must not have come back yet..."

"Azazel...I know a bit of nasty history about him" Dominik was suddenly smiling "They're fine"

"...and how would you, a newcomer, suddenly know that?" Rogue had to ask glaring at the man who was oblivious to it as he said "because he wants you both dead together and at the same time, especially if you decide to go against your birthrights...that will really not go down very well with him at all"

* * *

**As for Azazel he was out in town with Kurt and as Kurt rarely went out without his Image Inducer disguise, he chose to wear a hood much to his father's disappointment.**

"Vhy are we here?" Kurt asks as they sat in a coffee shop, not daring to look at the owner, who was looking at him worried and a few others whose jaw were on the ground by Azazel's appearance.

"Tea for me...cocoa for you" he raised his cup them noticed the stupid outfit as a tick appeared on his forehead "Take that off, son..."

Kurt jumped "are you crazy?" He looked around as mutants also filled the area, some just like him who were treated equally to regular humans despite their appearances "I don't vant to be stared at...zat's why the professor gave me the Image Inducer, which I can't find, to fit in with normal people"

Azazel drank the last of his tea and crushed the glass, glaring at his son "Do I look like I give a rat's ass about that?" He asks "I will not allow my son to hide due to something as stupid as his appearance...now don't make me take it off you!" he snarled earning looks from others as he turned to them and they turned away "Can you teleport back to the mansion from here?" He asks as the waiter comes back to them and Azazel pulls the cover off Kurt's head "your order, gentlemen?" She seemed unfazed by either of their looks "don't worry, you're not the worst looking here and looks rarely bother me anymore."

"Hey, lady" a large man wearing a hood said to the girl "Got any more coffee?" He spoke in a low calm but still intimidating voice as Kurt looked at him, shaking a bit "Bite me, Bane" she scowled taking the orders of the red demon and blue mutant as the man, Bane Asakura gave a feral grin "come now...I can do more than that, I ain't all bark and no bite like most of the bakas you usually serve" he said, his Japanese accent coming in more.

She left as Azazel went back to ignoring everyone but Kurt "Tell me, how much training do you really get from that man, Wolverine?"

"Enough..." Kurt muttered receiving a questioning glare from his less than happy father who replied "Can you teleport from here, back to that mansion you call home...for now?"

"What?!" Kurt startled even himself "I'll die if I port that far."

Azazel looks at him "...and?" His tone was sinister as he grabbed the boy by the collar quickly, causing Bane to frown and touch Azazel's shoulder "Master Azazel...this is the wrong place to lose that temperament of yours unless you're looking to start a fight with everyone in here" Bane narrowed his eye and stuck his fingers between Azazel's shoulder blades "I cannot do my job with a dead prince...that and I'd like to see this new 'family' of his. Don't you lay hands on the boy publically like that!" Bane was downright scary, even to Azazel, when he snapped and lost his calm serene nature "Shall we eat?" He changed seats and sat beside Kurt but was looking around more than at his cup of coffee.

"Since when do you eat human food, Bane?" Azazel chuckled as Bane's eyes turned a scary red pupils with black sclera and he looked at Kurt's food with pure disgust "come now, Azazel...you know the only things these humans consume that I can digest without getting sick are coffee and maybe tea"

"Why would you come here then..." Kurt looked scared by the hunger in Bane's stare as it came to him "and what kind of mutant are you?"

"I eat humans, young one" Bane grinned evilly "I'm not a mutant but a Ghoul...I'm not even alive and feel no compassion for my prey as I'm not as squeamish as the rest of my kind, eating just about anything."

"Y-you eat people?!" Kurt said full of fear as Bane came closer "you needn't be afraid, I don't prey on your kind and besides... I'll be out of a job if you die."

"We should return to the mansion then" Azazel said as Bane nodded with a slight bow "I'm coming as well, Azazel-sama"

Azazel nods as he extends his hands to them "Take my hand then..."

Bane simply put his wrist out for Azazel to hold and Kurt takes his father's hand with unease when he noticed something "Vhy is your palm glowing?" He said turning Azazel's hand curiously to get a better look.

Azazel quickly looked at his hand to see his Demon Clock "Looks like the Demon Lords are having a meeting, I think I'll have it in the mansion with my son as the guest of honour...since he's grounded"

"Vhat for?" Kurt was about to argue further to receive a back hand to the face from Azazel "for your pathetic fighting skills against Michael, no son of mine will be such a weakling" Kurt was shaking with fear as Bane came to shield him from any further punishment without word "Y-you're just like her..." He shook, tears coming from his eyes "Enough, Azazel-sama!"

Azazel simply took both of their hands and teleported.

* * *

**A/N - Well that was scary, how is Wanda supposed to reverse the petrification on Toad, what is Magneto going to do about it and will Kurt's new mysterious caretaker, Bane try to broaden his palate by eating the X-Men and what does Azazel have planned for Kurt training-wise? Read, review and find out!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 9**

_Kurt does the voiceover..._

_...Previously on X-Men Evolution..._

**At Michael's base, he seems to be distracted as Jason waltzed in, thinking Michael was none the wiser.**

**The demons however, were neither fooled nor confused, knowing it was the traitorous deserter, Mystique even through her guise.**

"Boss" Mystique/Jason said bowing on one knee as he replied shortly "Unless you have a proper reason to be bothering me or an impending death wish, Cain, leave..."

...Within Michael's body however, the demons were watching Mystique and they hated her for a betrayal that nearly caused the death of their young prince and princess, Nightcrawler and Rogue, she was hiding the girl from his reach until recently and dropping the boy off a wooden bridge after being abused and pursued by a demon originally sent only to kill her and take the boy, Azazel gave the demon a human reflection and a voice that was very familiar to her at the time, Magneto's.

"That Jason...since when does he refer to anyone as the boss of him?" Azuri said watching through Michael's eyes but not speaking through his lips from the man's mind, watching as Jason/Mystique left, glancing back at Michael, who paid no mind to him, with a very strong intent to kill but it was pale in combined Killing Intents of each of the six demons "I sense a stronger amount of fear from him for some reason"

Midaelis merely grunted, sure his hatred for Mystique was there as much as the other demons' discontent but agreeing with Azuri, she was afraid of someone or something "I think we should keep our eyes on her, Azuri?" He looked at the demon who preferred to be alone and sneered as he nodded "I wonder if Master will reward us for this little...entertaining morsel" Azuri said with a smirk.

"I'm coming as well..." Xarix grinned a wide evil grin but still seemed to have blank eyes "I can't let you have all the fun now, can I, now that we know she isn't dead?" Azuri only rolled his eyes at the comment.

**Two smoke-like wisps extracted themselves painfully from Michael's very being, causing an explicit groan as one took the slender pitch black form of Azuri and the other took the form of the humanoid dog demon, Xarix as they nodded to each other, Xarix still sneering and followed Jason stealthily. Not that he cared as much for stealth as his companion as long as his intended prey was in his stomach at the end of the day.**

* * *

**Dominik Cross was one such mutant seeking vengeance, once one of Seraph's most exalted and powerful sages, he saw the old fool as God as did all his followers.**

Cross, however was anything but some divine sage and his powers were more of a divine wrath and even then, most of it is still locked away due partially to his rough childhood. He was found as a homeless child by Seraph and brought to the church that saved his life, giving his life to Seraph and his cause to purify the world from then on.

This all changed one day, when Seraph found Michael Darkstone in a similar way, who seemed to be suffering from an ailment of some kind, he later learned that the 'ailment' was just a guise and he was possessed by six demons, who were as powerful as they were evil and whose very presence he could feel, going against Seraph's urge to join forces with Michael, he attempted to leave the two after seeing Michael's first strong attempt to eat Seraph.

**Michael, refusing to be turned down by Seraph, fakes seeing his 'just cause' that he was God, when this failed he captured and nearly killed Cross for marking him with the Death Tarot Card. A hobby of his, merely to curb his eternal boredom as Jason passes by him without a glance. A dead giveaway that he was not the real Jason as the two despised each other to the point that Dominik wanted to start a war just to get back at him and kill him along with both Seraph and Michael.**

* * *

**Dominik sat in the lotus position, his stoic blue green eyes staring at the deck of Tarot cards as a golden glow filled them for a few seconds as he pull the card at the top of the face down deck, revealing the doppelganger card. The large man passed his hand though his black ponytail, which appears red naturally under a certain light "Interesting..." he mutters to himself, his eyes on Mystique.**

"What a horrifying place..." Mystique says to herself returning to her original form as screams of horror and groans of agony can be heard from literally all around her.

The card in Dominik's hand then gave off a short glow as he glanced at it "very interesting...Bride of the Shinigami and Vessel of Light and Darkness?" He twitched looking as the demons made their move and he made his "not so damn fast" his voice came as a cruel whisper as he aims his palm at Mystique as a black aura took the form of an eagle that snatches her into the air just as the demons and a Celtic Guardian formed from the very floor and he commanded "Guardian, attack" and the warrior made of vine and stone swung his powerful sword, slashing Xarix's chest and almost beheading Azuri forcing the demons to retreat back to Michael's body.

"Open the door" Dominik said rising to his full height of almost 14 feet and the eagle dropped her to her feet.

"Maybe when boss leaves..." Mystique tried to keep her guise up before such an intimidating person and the two summoned creatures stayed aside, the warrior sitting on the floor against the wall giving an eerie moan and the eagle landing across from her as Dominik extends his hand "Cut the bullshit, woman!" He snapped "Your disguise is useless... as your presence is already known here."

* * *

**Suddenly Michael, Jason, Seraph and Elijah felt a presence, even Azazel barely felt it as well.**

Michael swivels around in his chair, his brow twitching "Intruder!" he yelled as hundreds of heavily armed and dangerous men filled the room "bring me the intruder, put the escapee back in his cell and use tremendous force" he commanded as the men chorused "yes, sir."

Jason was left unconscious, tied to the same chair only three fingers were missing on each hand, also three toes were gone on his left foot while only three remained on his right.

Something knocked him back into consciousness and he was alone, he was no squealer but suddenly was having second thoughts "Wolverine..." he said weakly "I'll talk!"

Logan must've heard him because he opened the door not long after

He looked at him "Well?" he sobbed for a moment, but it was all an act, he simply did NOT want to be around should Cross make his appearance at the mansion "Let me out and I'll tell you everything I know."

Logan walks over to him popping a single claw "lie, bub and I take an eye next" as Jason moved his head back to avoid the claw before he was dragged out on the chair "everyone needs to hear this and my reason to resort to such...measures" Jason scowled, he felt weak and hated it.

**Elsewhere, Seraph was awake and knew all too well whose MP (Magical Presence) could have literally bitch-slapped him back from death's door as he was not alone here...Dominik Cross, his former student and cult member.**

Seraph was completely numbed, forgetting Michael and the bite wounds he gave him as only a wall separates him and Juggernaut who is not even aware of his presence as Seraph closed his eyes for a few seconds before they open wide, glowing blue "Time to read these fools their rites" he jumps around now facing Juggernaut, who is a full two feet taller than him "I'll speak only once...get out of this place!"

Cain Marko looks at the man and his slowly healing hickey and laughs "how about you get out of my way, old man cuz _NOBODY_ orders the Juggernaut around!"

Rage was all over Seraph's face "Juggernaut..." He spits to the side "learn your place, overgrown imbecile!" He roundhouse kicks the man harder than expected, blowing his helmet off and making him stagger back and hit the wall behind him hard.

That got the attention of Toad and Wanda a distance away as they rushed in "Juggernaut!"

"Leave this place NOW" Seraph's voice boomed "you are not welcome here"

The other two's answer was to attack as he muttered "such foolish children" as he caught a hex blast from Wanda with his bare hands and fired back with his own magical kick, aimed straight for her but Toad got in the way "No!" she yelled as he said with a weak smile "I love you, Wa..." He was cut short as the spell petrified him solid in a blueish-white clear crystal instead of the usual stone petrification.

That made both Juggernaut and Wanda simply snapped "love...such a pathetic and fragile thing, hm?" Seraph asks, back flipping to evade an oncoming punch from behind by Juggernaut but not his backhand to the face.

Gambit has found some data that confirmed some of his fears, Michael was possessed by six demon but that wasn't all...

"Interesting..." He says "this guy's got ties to all the baddies...the Maggia, A.I.M, even a record with S.H.I.E.L.D and isn't that...?"

He digs deeper into a heavily encrypted file under the name_ 'Project: Weapon X'_ and after breaking the encryption codes, accidentally opened a video to be greeted by a scream that made him almost jump out of his skin.

_A man resembling a younger Logan was strapped to a metal bed over what, to Remy, looked like water and Michael was there but didn't seem to be the one in charge as a man dressed in a military General's uniform waved his hand and nodded for the 'bonding process' to begin as the needles around almost every inch of the man's body whirred to life with a creepy moan and pierced the, now submerged in the liquid, body of Logan to the bone earning a pained howl that made Remy look away but was followed by his pulse stopping._

_The men began ill-speaking the seemingly dead Logan about them being responsible for the death of his lover but he seemed to have heard and awoke, really pissed and swinging his new metal claws wildly as a bullet to the head wasn't even enough to kill him. Remy noticed that Michael, on his safe perch far out of the feral's reach, seemed the only one overjoyed by the madness before slipping away from the base._

Gambit thought quickly stopping the video before its completion 'I wonder what 'ol Claws'll think o' this?' as he saves it to a pen drive.

* * *

"I hear you can find Michael...?" He asks.

"Depends on who's askin', bub" Logan asks as Dominik's eyes fell on a petrified Jason, who has a habit of patronizing him and his somewhat...shifted beliefs and a suddenly fidgety Colossus nearby, looking at his chest rather than his stern, cold eyes "the name's Cross...Dominik Cross"

"Logan...you think we should trust him?" Warren put his hand on Logan's shoulder, earning a somewhat curious look from Dominik.

Logan sighs "sure...fine, add one more psychopath to the mansion"

"You seem to have another traitor amidst...am I right, Elijah, you perverted pest" he looked at Colossus before looking at a Tarot Card "Misplaced Loyalties...you're not planning to finally betray the monstrous man who keeps you fed just to remind you of just how useless you really are, are you?"

All curious eyes were suddenly on Piotr, who was now shaking like a leaf "I-I don't know what you're talking about" he kept his composure physically, but not so much mentally as he thought _'good thing that Creed guy's no here or my goose would be cooked'_ he gulped as Kitty gave him a look of pure jealousy and anger "I knew it, like, the real Peter would never in a million years ignore me or send other girls dirty looks like that!" that made Logan's pores raise and every hair on his body stand on end but he remains silent, consoling a crying Kitty with a loving hug "there there, half-pint" his voice seemed cold and detached as he said his nickname for Pryde.

* * *

**Elsewhere with Creed and Rogue...**

"I think I'll head back" she turned to leave the feral who was aware that it was only an excuse "Logan must be worried..."

"The runt...he ain't worried" Victor got in her way holding her chin with one hand "what I'd give to hold you in my arms again" he muttered as she took a step back "again?" She retorted as he almost flinched at the pain behind the word.

"Ya haven't gotten any better at lyin', Harlequin..." He grinned but was cut short by Rogue's lips on his, he felt less weakened by her powers than he knew he should be and smirked as they parted "better control of yer powers as well, I see, what did ya see?"

Rogue saw Victor's entire torture at the hands of Michael as if she was the one being tortured "you must be in a lot of pain..." she said passing her hand over a scar that was old but was not sustained by Michael but he quickly turned away "that scar...how'd you get it, if you don't mind me asking?"

"It's personal...even more than my rivalry with the runt" he glared at her in an offended manner "not everyone's parents take the fact that their child's a mutant very well...like Mystique, for example?"

"Or Azazel?" Rogue said looking away as Victor focused his gaze back on her and shook his head "Azazel..." He growled "he's nothing like my old man...if anything, he seems happy that yer both mutants and looks at you like royalty or something"

Victor scowled "make sure and warn him though...that I don't care how powerful he is, his ass is mine if he hurts either of you in any way I don't like"

* * *

**Victor goes back to the mansion, carrying Rogue on his back as she nuzzled into his back, forcing the feral to grin until he made it back to the mansion and was greeted at the door by Logan and the scents of the unwanted visitor, Raven and the interesting new visitor, Cross.**

He remained in a tree spying on them but is found rather quickly by Dominik.

Victor lands soundlessly, spying on Dominik who went outside for some fresh air after living in that dungeon for the majority of his child hood and teenage years.

"15 plus years in a cage really does a number on ya..." He mutters to himself stretching, well aware that Creed and Rogue both were watching as he stretches his limbs and they pop very loudly then walks inside, seeming to be unaware of Victor and Rogue.

Victor was about to leap from his perch when Rogue tapped him, sounding like Azazel was breathing down his neck "Uh, Victor?"

Victor flinched turning around "What?" He snarled in annoyance but was met by Dominik who had his Tarots in a deck case on his hip, his sudden appearance nearly stopped the two's hearts for two seconds flat as he pulls out two cards "Hm..." He makes eye contact with Rogue "Princess of the Demonite and Protector...strange"

"What the hell are ya talkin' about?" Victor looked at him suspiciously as he reached for the Tarot Deck, receiving a neck breaking kick to the face from Dominik, knocking him out of the tree as he landed on all fours, feeling like he was hit upside the head by an Airline Carrier as he growled staring as Dominik lowered himself and Rogue to the ground safely "No one touches my cards, feral, this is your only warning" he said with no emotion.

"Where's Kurt?" Rogue asks suddenly as Victor kept a stony gaze on Dominik "I can't the scents of him or Azazel, they must not have come back yet..."

"Azazel...I know a bit of nasty history about him" Dominik was suddenly smiling "They're fine"

"...and how would you, a newcomer, suddenly know that?" Rogue had to ask glaring at the man who was oblivious to it as he said "because he wants you both dead together and at the same time, especially if you decide to go against you birthrights...that will really not go down well with him"

* * *

**As for Azazel he was out in town with Kurt and as Kurt rarely went out without his Image Inducer disguise, he chose to wear a hood much to his father's disappointment.**

"Vhy are we here?" Kurt asks as they sat in a coffee shop, not daring to look at the owner, who was looking at him worried and a few others whose jaw were on the ground by Azazel's appearance.

"Tea for me...cocoa for you" he raised his cup them noticed the stupid outfit as a tick appeared on his forehead "Take that off, son..."

Kurt jumped "are you crazy?" He looked around as mutants also filled the area, some just like him who were treated equally to regular humans "I don't vant to be stared at...that's why the professor gave me the Image Inducer, which I can't find, to fit in with normal people"

Azazel drank the last of his tea and crushed the glass, glaring at his son "Do I look like I give a rat's ass about that?" He asks "I will not allow my son to hide due to something as stupid as his appearance...don't make me take it off you" he snarled earning looks from others as he turned to them and they turned away "Can you teleport back to the mansion from here?" He asks as the waiter comes back to them and Azazel pulls the cover off Kurt's head "your order, gentlemen?" She seemed unfazed by either of their looks "don't worry, you're not the worst looking here and looks rarely bother me anymore."

"Hey, lady" a large man wearing a hood said to the girl "Got any more coffee?" He spoke in a low and calm but still intimidating voice as Kurt looked at him, shaking a bit "Bite me, Bane" she scowled taking the orders of the red demon and blue mutant as the man, Bane Asakura gave a feral grin "come now...I can do more than that, I ain't all bark and no bite like most of the bakas you usually serve, dattebane" he said, his Japanese accent coming in more.

She left as Azazel went back to ignoring everyone but Kurt "Tell me, how much training do you really get from that man, Wolverine?"

"Enough..." Kurt muttered receiving a questioning glare from his less than happy father who replied "Can you teleport from here, back to that mansion you call home...for now?"

"What?!" Kurt startled even himself "I'll die if I port that far."

Azazel looks at him "...and?" His tone was sinister as he grabbed the boy by the collar quickly, causing Bane to frown and touch Azazel's shoulder "Master Azazel...this is the wrong place to lose that temperament of yours unless you're looking to start a fight with everyone in here" Bane narrowed his eye and stuck his fingers between Azazel's shoulder blades "I cannot do my job with a dead prince...that and I'd like to see this new 'family' of his. Don't you lay hands on the boy publically like that!" Bane was downright scary, even to Azazel, when he snapped and lost his calm serene nature "Shall we eat?" He changed seats and sat beside Kurt but was looking around more than at his cup of coffee.

"Since when do you eat human food, Asakura?" Azazel chuckled as Bane's eyes turned a scary red with black sclera and he looked at Kurt's food with pure disgust "come now, Azazel...you know the only thing humans consume that I can digest without getting sick is coffee and maybe tea"

"Why would you come here then..." Kurt looked scared by the hunger in Bane's stare "and what kind of mutant are you?"

"I eat humans, young one" Bane grinned evilly "I'm not a mutant but a Ghoul...I'm not even alive and feel no compassion for my prey as I'm not as squeamish as the rest of my kind, eating just about anything."

"Y-you eat people?!" Kurt said full of fear as Bane came closer "you needn't be afraid, I don't prey on your kind and besides... I'll be out of a job if you die."

"We should return to the mansion then"

Azazel said as Bane nodded with a slight bow "I'm coming as well, Azazel-sama"

Azazel nods as he extends his hands to them "Take my hand then..."

Bane simply put his wrist out for Azazel to hold and Kurt takes his father's hand with unease when he noticed something "Vhy is your palm glowing?" He said turning Azazel's hand curiously to get a better look.

Azazel quickly looked at his hand to see his Demon Clock "Looks like the Demon Lords are having a meeting, I think I'll have it in the mansion with my son as the guest of honour...since he's grounded"

"Vhat for?" Kurt was about to argue further to receive a back hand to the face from Azazel "for your pathetic fighting skills against Michael, no son of mine will be such a weakling" Kurt was shaking with fear as Bane came to shield him from any further punishment without word "Y-you're just like her..." He shook, tears coming from his eyes "Enough, Azazel-sama!"

**Azazel simply took both of their hands and teleported.**

* * *

_...Now..._

* * *

Azazel, Bane and Kurt teleport outside the Xavier Institute and Azazel looked both annoyed and worried.

"Nice place, huh?" Kurt tried to make nice with the adult Ghoul but he just looked around, yet to be impressed then to Kurt with a frown and unreadable eyes _"Eh, Moshi anata ga sō iunara... Yangu Akuma ōji"_ (Eh, if you say so, young demon prince)

Kurt shrugged it off, figuring Bane was just still irritated with him or his father as his eyes changed from the deadly looking red on black to much less fierce but equally as intimidating same red but on white sclera.

"That's strange...something seems intent on keeping me out" Azazel rubbed his chin in thought as the two looked at him _"Sudeni naibu de watashitachi o torimasu, bakayaro konoyaro"_ (take us inside already, you stupid shit) he shook his head as Azazel glanced at him "speak English for once and as I said earlier, I can't teleport us in."

The gates then opened with a less than pleased Logan at the door "you do not want Kurt-san to adopt my bad language now, do you?" Bane smirked but it didn't last when he saw Logan glaring at them, or mainly him, as he ordered Kurt to stay directly behind him, just in case.

Rogue was in her room and went to her window to see three persons enter the gates of the school on foot, noticing two of them to be her little brother and father as the man, at the sight of Logan, stood protectively between him and Kurt, his eyes turning red on black again...an ability known to Ghouls as a Kakugan, a tell-tale sign that you were a Ghoul.

Rogue gasped as she hasn't even noticed his eyes on her as he smirked and snarled _"...Hime"_ (...Princess) before looking back to Logan as if he'd never seen her.

The look he gave Rogue didn't go unnoticed...it was as if he'd known her all her life as she raced downstairs to see an awestruck Victor at the door "Rogue...he said 'hime' when he looked up at you, I wonder why?"

Rouge was too busy to listen to him as she tried to get past him to no avail.

Bane raised the back of his shirt only enough to reveal his tailbone as he muttered "the first move is yours..." in English as a burst of red came from his tailbone, activating his Rinkaku Kagune, Shadouītā/Shadow Eater.

"Explain this, Azazel" Logan said urgently popping his claws as Asakura shot his head back at Azazel, giving Kurt a smile that didn't look quite sane to him "Stop making Kurt-san worry so much...I won't kill him, just a test" he said honestly as he dared the feral to charge which he did stabbing Bane in the stomach.

Victor frowned and went out side at the same time as Logan did, discovering his mistake as Bane's skin was much tougher than it looked "Back off, runt..." Victor muttered as Logan was pierced through the stomach by three of the four Kagune that emerged from Bane's tailbone and thrown across the yard.

"Interesting" Bane got close enough to see something he'd never come across before, Logan's wounds healing rapidly "I have to say, you mutants are an interesting bunch" he chuckles with darkened eyes as he was on Logan again with great speed, pinning him to the ground with even greater hunger in his eyes than before "I've tasted human and Ghoul alike but I don't think I've tasted mutant before" he was about to bite Logan when he was rushed by Jean who held him over the speechless feral with her telekinesis as he scowled "So, do you heal as quickly as Chibi?" Bane glares at Jean before snarling "I'm no fan of redheads"

Logan rose to his feet slowly, looking at Bane "What kind of a mutant are ya, bub?"

"I'm not a mutant, Chibi-san" Bane smiled creepily at Logan "I'm a Ghoul, now Kurt, where's the dead boke that hurt you?"

"Somewhere here..." Kurt looked around for Jason Cain, who was gone along with Dominik Cross leaving only the bloodied rope Logan had tied him up with. Bane took the rope, almost tempted to lick as he took in the scent of the blood "They went this way" the X-Men followed him although unable to keep up

* * *

**Elsewhere, Jason was in the forest near the mansion and running seemingly in circles as Dominik's voice haunted his every move. The New Mutants managed to see them as Berserker, Roberto and Boom Boom followed leaving Multiple to warn the others.**

Jason ran into the forest, following Dominik's voice that somehow got into his head forgetting just how much pain he was in right now "Get out of my head"

"I'm not in your head" the larger of the two men teleported behind him with wickedness all over his face "How about I help myself to these and you...this?" Dominik retrieved a mini hard drive Jason kept on his person at all times riddled with heavily encrypted information that the X-Men could use to locate Michael and his various prisons "thanks...as for your gift..." Dominik touched various parts of than man's tortured body regrowing lost body parts and healing terrible slash wounds.

"How dare you think I need your help?!" Jason was totally ungrateful and Dominik was neither shocked nor amused as he was forced back by Jason's high velocity winds but noticed a monstrous intent to kill coming not from Jason but from that Ghoul, Bane as he had a look of pure rage and hatred.

He seemed to catch Jason off guard with his nearly gravity defying speed as he grabbed him by the neck and pinned him against the tree.

"Enough with the magic and leave the mind games to me" Bane growled "I think I'll take my first taste of mutant out of you" he lunged with the speed of a snake, biting him in the neck as he screamed but Bane stopped, spitting to the side 'mutants...the other white meat' he though darkly as an even darker grin, he was glad Kurt wasn't here to see this as he threw Jason like a baseball.

* * *

**With Azazel and Kurt, they were about to begin some training before the meeting of the Demon Lords when he was met by Mystique and by the looks they shared, Kurt as well as Jaime, X-23 and Jubilee knew well enough to get the hell out of their way.**

"Azazel..." Mystique snarled.

"Raven..." Azazel replied with equal, if not more malice

"Kurt..." Jaime whispered beside the Elf "I don't think we should prank while your parents are here"

That shocked Kurt a bit "Vhat, vhy?" as Laura added "I agree...imagine if you accidentally pranked one of them in the moods they're in, they might be really pissed."

"Kurt is coming with me" Mystique said grabbing Kurt's wrist, only to receive a cringe worthy backhand from Azazel that nearly sent her flying "Like hell he is, you've been feeding the boy lies that I don't want him and have the nerve to think I'll let you have him?!" Azazel's anger was becoming evident "You must be insane!"

The three teens decide to leave the feuding Demon Lord and Assassin be but Azazel grabs Kurt "Where are you off to?" Kurt doesn't answer, still in shock "We have training to do, I like your aggressive girlfriend" he looked at Laura as she saw the elf turn a shade of purple "Vhat?"

"You're joking, right?" X-23 just had to ask as Azazel said "I'm afraid not, after all, I want strong grandkids."

"That's weird" Berzerker added "you want to kill your kids but you also want grandchildren...for once, being cast out by my parents doesn't seem that bad if my father was anything like you."

That was when he felt Azazel's hand on his head, which startled him as he said "buzz off and go play with Bane, you'll only get in the way."

Berzerker shuddered "I don't think that's a good idea, he looks at us like an obese person looks at chicken wings..." He said as Azazel countered "Care to tell him that yourself?"

"I think I might" Jaime smirked as the other two face palmed both mentally and physically as X-23 looked at Berzerker "He wouldn't...will he?" as he had an all-knowing look "Oh, I think he will..."

As the made their way back to the other the mansion to find the person they were looking for, Bane, waiting at the door except he looked blank, almost mindless, as he stared at the sky, both eyes red on black with a cracked look around them and half his body was armored in RZ Cells, an altered, more potent version of red blood cells that exist abundantly in Ghouls far more than humans and mutants, giving him the appearance of a Kyuūbi Fox with tails that looked like centipedes and seemed to be hurting him as he looked at Berserker.

_"Kuruto wa dokodeshou ka?"_ (Where's Kurt?) The Ghoul asked as the two, his eyes on Ray, who smirked "I have no clue what you're saying, bro"

"I'm not your bro...where is Kurt-san?" He asks sternly, grinning with blood dripping from his mouth.

"Cool, his mouth's bleeding" Jaime said halfheartedly as Bane said "it isn't my blood, it's Chibi-san's prisoner's"

"Mr. Logan's not happy about that name, I'm sure" Jaime deduced as Bane shook his head, an aloof smile on his face "Kurt...is with Azazel?" the two nod.

"Good" was all he said as he looks at Rogue "Done hiding from me, hime?" He gave a toothy grin that wasn't as evil as it was sly.

Rogue looked at him and tried to hide from his stare, quickly finding Victor or Logan nowhere near as she tried playing shy when that failed "hey, I have no idea what your talking about"

Bane was looking less sane by the minute was his dark eyes scanned the daughter of Azazel, which scared her as she ran off "Where're ya off to...this talk isn't over"

No one saw Bane move an inch, but he jumped effortlessly landing on Rogue pinning her despite her attempts which weren't half bad "Not half had...Azazel would be pissed if he learned of your fighting skills"

Rogue was working her glove off "What makes you think you know me, Azazel's pet" that was followed by a swift fist to the back of her head "I. Am. NOT anybody's pet. Neither am I a henchman of any kind, I used to change your diapers, Gaki (Brat), so show some goddamn respect before I have to teach you some!"

"Go 'head, hit me and Azazel will kill you" Rogue snarled grabbing his bare ankle as his eyes widened and she got a splitting headache from his memories instead of knocking him out and sapping his abilities.

"You can't kill something that hasn't been alive in over 200 years, anyway" Bane said, hearing shocked gasps as he entered the mansion, even Xavier and Logan were there as Bane scowled "Shouldn't you all be sleeping?"

"Shouldn't you?" Xavier replied as Bane replied "No...I don't sleep much at night, but I will tell you my story." Bane took a seat and smirks "Going somewhere, Chibi-san?"

Logan glared at him dangerously "Watch it, bub" Logan scowled back slightly glaring at Jason who miraculously had no torture scars "I have to prepare the Danger Room and I know Japanese, so stop calling me little..." Bane only shrugged it off "Whatever, Mr. Logan" Bane bowed with no joke behind it and a lot of attitude which made the feral tense as he left.

* * *

**Logan went to the Danger Room and what he saw from the Control Room, was something he never thought he'd see someone have the nerve to do in his life as an X-Man...Dominik was seemingly fast asleep on a mattress in the middle of the Danger Room.**

**Logan marched in there, past Storm and Bane, as a few minutes later he came flying back out.**

"You've got some nerve, little man" Dominik snarled "Can't a guy meditate in peace without interruption by nosy little ferals?!"

Logan recovered "Who the hell...meditates laying flat on their asses fast asleep in a high-tech training area?!"

"Not a training area while I'm in there, it isn't" Dominik growls "and I wasn't asleep. I haven't slept in years and rarely do, I have nightmares whenever I do" he looked away, clearly not in the mood to talk about it...yet, anyway as he closed the door.

Logan immediately tried to enter the alphanumeric pin to open it but failed "Why'd ya change our codes, bub?!" Logan was banging on the door and Bane stopped him "Magic...isn't to be meddled with, leave him alone and he might talk about it...as long as he stays away from Kurt and Rogue, I've got no problem."

Logan was baffled as he managed to close his mouth "I hope yer right, bub."

* * *

**Charles Xavier was in the Control Room, Beast was with him as the two watched Dominik as the stress of it all was beginning to take it's hold.**

"Why are you even allowing this, Charles?" Hank asks as the two look at Bane meditating "he must be well aware by now that we're watching him"

"Yes, Hank..." Xavier said, a bit skeptical as he was pessimistic "if anything, he may help us actually find Michael, his eyes...are so full of pain, makes me wonder what his life must've been like."

"...and the Ghoul, Bane, I doubt he'll leave even after Michael's dealt with" this gave him a couple ideas "he could make a good X-Man...given he doesn't try to cannibalize students and staff that rub him wrong with his newly acquired taste for mutants" Hank was a bit apprehensive and very scared of the Ghoul and his foul temper where Kurt's safety is concerned.

"You need to get some rest for tomorrow, Hank" Xavier said as Beast could not help but nod in agreement going to the door.

"You'll be alright here on your own?" Hank asks as he left for bed "I'll be alright on my own, good night"

"G'night" Hank nodded as he left but stayed by the door, spying on the two.

Immediately after, Xavier had realized his mistake in taking his eyes off Dominik as he was now in the Control Room with him "Dominik...shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I don't sleep...but you already knew that, didn't you?" Dominik asked, a smirk appears on his face as Xavier frowned slightly "What I don't get is these 'X-Men' of yours seem to fully trust you, but you don't seem to trust them that much, why is that, I wonder?"

Xavier was cautious, with good reason and Dominik could see it "You tried to help Michael in the past...if not for you, he wouldn't be the person he is and wouldn't be trying to remember who you are!"

* * *

**Xavier knew what Dominik was speaking about, but hadn't told the X-Men not only that he knew Michael personally, but he was equally as responsible as Magneto, if not more, for who he is today, so he remained silent.**

"Come out, Beastly One" he called to the door, where Beast was hiding outside "You need to hear this as well"

Beast walked in, a pensive and evidently worried (with reason) look on his face.

"What is this about, Professor?" Hank said having been listening the entire time as Xavier looked at Dominik "This information is vital and no one is ready to know it all...at least not yet"

Cross nodded "I can respect that, but McCoy already knows you're keeping a very deadly secret, so the least you could do is come clean to him."

Beast could sense something was wrong "Come clean about _WHAT_ exactly?!" The usually serene Hank raises the tone of his voice in annoyance that Xavier was keeping information from them and he was wary of Logan's reaction to that. The Canuk would be even less happy that he is now.

Xavier took out a picture of himself, before he was crippled from the waist down, with Eric and a young man with icy crystalline blue eyes "I feel responsible, to some extent for Logan and Sabretooth's hatred of Michael."

"Wait, this innocent looking young man could never grow up to be that evil monster, Michael Darkstone!" Beast took a hesitant step back, a single tear in his eye as every hair on his furred body was shaking, refusing to take the picture as he turned his back on Xavier who remained silently stunned "...goodnight, Xavier. Mr. Dominik." He stormed out of the room as if it was on fire, slamming the door behind him. Xavier remained frozen in place, not daring to follow him as Beast did have feral tendencies like Logan, and was stronger than Victor when angered, which was a feat on it's own, while elsewhere...

* * *

**Seraph was in the base, having managed to rid it of the former Acolytes but he would not go after and risk dirtying his hands to hunt them down...this was why he was enlisting help as he dialed the phone of a person even deadlier than Michael and devoid of fear, which he found good in the sense that he couldn't be manipulated by anyone, namely Michael, but as he did so, he heard a phone ring somewhere around him that almost made him jump out of his skin as he shook with a fear of the unknown.**

A man...ghoul...was right behind Seraph as he held his ringing phone - the phone the God was calling - in the centre of his palm, his name was Yami Kurosaki and he was evil itself if it had a face. All he wanted was revenge on Bane for making him an outcast, never again to be trusted by another Ghoul that knew his name although he was about Juggernaut's height, with unnaturally natural snow white hair and his Kakugan was orange on black as he appeared silently behind Seraph, licking the blood from his neck "I've never seen a _Kami_ bleed before...how interesting" Seraph jumped away from the man who gave a low chuckle.

He could smell the fear coming in waves and grinned maniacally "You let the young ones and the big guy escape...are you finally a mortal like me, oh, _Kami_-sama?" He mocked clearly knowing he wasn't mortal in the first place and Seraph was no God, even in his eyes.

"I...need your help, Mr. Kami." Seraph maintained eye contact out of respect and the fear that he'd take advantage of his weakened state, which he would if Seraph turned a blind eye to him "Do I finally get a bite out of you, Seraph as payment?" His hand on the other's shoulder as he stuck his finger in the wound making it bleed and nearly forcing Seraph to his knees and sniffs the air "One of them smells like a Ghoul, I want him, but what of Michael?" He licked his bloody fingers and shivered with excitement, mistaking Gambit for a Ghoul due to his eyes and the fierceness in them as Seraph's knees almost went weak "Allow no one to live if they get in your way, even if that is Michael and take this one to him alive and untainted" he handed him a file with the profile of a single 'most-wanted-by-Michael' mutant, Logan both in civilian clothes and in his X-Man uniform as he thought _'Maybe this one can aid me in my plans for revenge against Bane'_ as he put the file away as Seraph felt he could turn away and not be attacked but when he realized his mistake, Kami Kurosaki was gone as soundlessly as he came.

* * *

**A/N - Next Chapter, Dominik Cross' past in relation to how he knows of Azazel and Bane's shared past with Azazel and the Demon Lords, Kurt, Rogue and the Ghoul seeking vengeance against him Kami Kurosaki and how he met Seraph also what'll happen when Xavier tells the X-Men the truth.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 10**

**This chapter (and probably the next) takes a look at the pasts of Bane Asakura, the Ghoul caretaker of Azazel's children, the manipulative Kami Kurosaki, the Ghoul that is out to kill him, Seraph, his cult and former Acolyte/cult member Dominik Cross and what it all has to do with Michael Darkstone, Azazel and the X-Men.**

Kami tails Gambit, Wanda, Juggernaut and the petrified Toad through their half mile trek between the base and Bayville.

The group trekked in a silence that getting under all their skins as Kami took a deep breath of their scents, keeping to the shadows easily "So you're the one...this should be fun" he grinned sadistically, his eyes on Remy until Remy himself came to a stop as did he.

"Go on ahead" he said as Cain scowled glancing back as a shadow crossed his sight for a second "Something wrong?" But already he knew the answer by the annoyed look in Remy's eyes as he scanned the trees silently. The others left and Kami thought he was a fool to think he could take him alone at night and in his home, the shadows.

**Kami sped across the trees in various directions on purpose, intending to confuse the young mutant if his eyes couldn't keep up and once behind him, lunged from the air and although Remy could sense kinetic energy didn't mean he could predict Kami's movements.**

Gambit dodges at the last minute, swinging his Bo staff at Kami's head which missed as well as he came to a stop "Careful now, mon ami" Remy smirked "Remy Lebeau is NOT in the best of moods."

"Aw, that's too bad, Lebeau...I was hoping to play a little more" Kami stood and dodged some charged cards until he was back to back with the much shorter Gambit "I am Kami...somehow, I think we've met somewhere before"

Remy flinched, underestimating just how fast Kami was despite his size as he zipped around the wood and got closer to stand back to back with him and kicked him in the back this time, as Juggernaut reappeared and tries to punch him only for him to catch the fist, squeeze and break the hand then throw him aside _"Kami ni asobi ni kite?"_ ("Come to play with Kami?") He said with a ferocious bloodlust in his eyes licking his fingers clean as his Ukaku-type Kagune appears from the blades of his shoulders.

They took the form of Angelic wings, though the person they were attached to could be described as worse than any demon _"Eien no akumu"_ ("Eternal Nightmare") he looked to the sky, almost sad quickly replaced by an uncontrollably sadistic and sinister fanged grin _"Anata wa...Watashi ni sankashimasu...Watashi no...Eien no akumu ni?"_ ("Will you...join me...in my...eternal nightmare?")

He noticed Wanda was missing and his wings were filled with razor sharp, red shard-like projectiles as opposed to feathers which he fired in succession after getting airborne as the Cajun and Juggernaut ran for cover from being cut to ribbons since it slashed through part of Cain's suit like butter "She won't get very far, ya know" he merely toyed with them.

Juggernaut quickly threw a heavy rock at Kami, hitting him in the face and grounding him "That's how you crush flies, Remy"

Remy would've nodded if a, now thoroughly pissed off, Kami hadn't rose to his feet with a bloody nose "No...you don't die just yet, I think I'll make you suffer and watch that little bitch die first just for that!" He smashes the rock they were hiding behind to pebbles and mowed over them.

Both looked horrified as they said together "Wanda...Toad" but Kami's inhuman speed beat them going and coming.

**A great distance away, Wanda was just steps from civilization when she stopped, frozen as she felt something heartless, deadly and pure evil not to mention downright scary heading straight for her with the intention to kill her.**

She looked at Toad "I'm sorry..." as darkness enveloped them, when the light returned, she felt a foot on her chest keeping her down and found that Kami had found her and had Toad "Going somewhere, young one?"

**Kami was about to drop Toad and shatter him like glass but growled, not quite ready to kill the four mutants yet as he set him down gently and allowed Wanda to get to her feet.**

Kami grinned, his eyes staring at her lethally as he shooed her "Go on, run and don't ask why I haven't killed you, mutant..." He allowed Wanda to run which she smartly did as he was enveloped by the shadows again, his grin falling to a smirk as he said to himself once she was gone "Mutants...such an interesting species, yet it's still too bad they're so weak and flawed by their very 'gifts'."

**Meanwhile back at the mansion, Bane went inside and the X-Men gathered, wanting to hear his story, especially Victor.**

"Yer not what you seem..." Victor says accusingly as Bane seemed not to care as much replying sharply "Shut up and let me start the story...I've never liked being predictable, Creed-san" he scowled, hating interruptions...

* * *

_Flashback to the turn of the early 20th Century..._

**Bane Asakura was the young son of Hiachi Yang, a man who he did not even acknowledge as his father and his kind but scarier than Yang when angered, mother Tsume Asakura.**

**Tsume was a cook and stay-at-home mom, rarely going anywhere without seventeen year old Bane while Hiachi was a businessman of some kind and was rarely at home or with Bane.**

_"Bein, anata no otōsan wa ie ni mada arimasu ka?"_ (Bane, is your father home yet?) his mother called from the kitchen

_"Īe, haha"_ ("No, mother") the young boy said hugging his mother lovingly as she prepared lunch, hopefully for three.

**Bane's father, Yang was a very detached and quiet fellow, but quick to anger and of few words. A businessman of an unknown profession, he was to be abroad for the next few days until the door slammed open and then slammed shut.**

Bane was not afraid as much as he was overly cautious, but both flinched as the door open and shut. Yang walked in covered in his own blood with a black eye and what seemed to be stab and slash wounds. Tsume, worriedly gasped as she hugged him _"Nani ga okotta?"_ (What happened?)

_"Nani mo, Tsume-chan"_ (Nothing, Tsume) Yang said with closed eyes, when they did open he gave Bane a look of pure hatred and disgust, as if what happened to him was entirely his only useless son's fault.

Yang was edging closer to Bane, when Tsume stood in his path with the kitchen knife _"Nani o yatte iru to omoimasu ka?"_ (What do you think you're doing?) His voice was very slow and creepy but Tsume had no fear of him, which was why he loved her as much as he did.

_"Watashi ga okonau ni wa shoppingu o motte iru... Kare no shukudai o anata no musuko o tasuke, kare no hitto shinaide kudasai, sore wa ikutsu ka no jikan ga kakaru koto ga arimasu"_ ("Help your son with his homework and please don't hit him...I have shopping to do, it may take some time")

_"Nani?!"_ ("What?!") Both males exclaimed, Yang with suppressed fury and Bane with pure fear.

_"Dono kurai seikaku ni?"_ (How long exactly?) Yang twitched with a smile that didn't look very pleased at ALL as she shrugged _"Watashi wa jikkō ni yōji ga takusan aru, shirimasen"_ ("I dunno, I have a lot of errands to run")

_"Fain"_ ("Fine") Yang said watching her leave but soon as she was gone, he sat on the couch watching television for hours until he fell somewhat asleep...something Bane rarely saw as Yang suffered from insomnia.

**Feeling miserable, he went to his room and locked himself in, not trusting that he wouldn't be attacked as this was not the first time he was left alone with his seemingly evil father.**

Yang, feeling the tug of an uncontrollable hunger, snapped his now red on black eyes open and went up to Bane's room finding the door locked "Bane!" He barked hearing the young man falling off his bed, he'd do anything to stave off his hunger, even devour Bane as he rarely interacted with him at all anyway _"Watashi ga modoru made dokoni mo ikanai, ... Hitokuchi no tame ni gaishutsu shite imasu."_ (I'm going out for a...bite, don't go anywhere until I return.)

**Bane had no chance to answer before he left the boy alone in the house.**

What none of them saw was a lithe, small man hidden in the shadows, watch the father leave as Bane went watch television, having nothing better to do _"Omoshiroi..."_ (Interesting...) before falling to the ground, revealing himself to be a young skater as he pulled out his video phone and nodded to a darkened head of a figure and retreating to the trees.

* * *

**Elsewhere...Hiachi was searching Tokyo but couldn't shake the feeling he was being watched and he was as he passed a shadow and emerging from the shadow was a man, his boss, Kami Kurosaki came out glancing at him with no good intentions in mind as well as he was the reason he'd returned home beaten up for the umpteenth time earlier.**

Kami smirked from the shadow _"Hiachi, watashi wa... Himitsu o sukide wanai, mada, naze watashi wa anata ga watashi kara nanika o kakushite iru kankaku o eru nodesu ka?"_ (Hiachi, I don't like secrets...yet why do I get the feeling you're hiding something from me?)

**Hiachi jumped at the voice, only one person could scare him this much as he flinched under the scrutiny of the unpredictable and undoubtedly dangerous Kurosaki.**

* * *

**Back at the house, Bane eventually ran out of things to do so he decided to leave home for the first time in years, everything he learned was taught by his mother...his father not wanting him to venture too far or to generally be around him, little did he know it was not a very good thing, especially today.**

_"Otōsan..."_ (Father...) Bane sat on his parents' bed before deciding that he'd already disobeyed the rule of not entering their room without permission which was the reason his father nearly choked him to death the last time around, he might as well go find his asshole of a father as he left the house in the direction his father went despite his fear of what would happen when he did find him.

* * *

**Back with Hiachi, he'd picked up on both the scents of his son and his mate, heading his way and heading home respectively...unaware of the grave danger they were in but Kami was quiet, hopefully he hadn't sensed either of them carrying traces of his scent yet as he tried to distract him.**

Hiachi gave a dry, calm chuckle _"K-Kami-sama...Dono yō ni wareware wa kari kon'ya ni iku ni tsuite wa?"_ (K-Kami-sama...how about we go on a hunt tonight?)

Kami merely grunted _"Te inai kūfuku mada, watashi wa anata ga jibun jishin o uete kita koto ga wakarimasu."_ (Not hungry yet, but I can see that you've been starving yourself.) He grinned evilly and knowingly as he'd picked the scents up before Yang even thought of it.

The Ghoul that watched Hiachi Yang leave his home appeared before Kami suddenly, bowing on one knee _"Kodomo no kitaru, sā"_ (The kid's coming, sir) he remarked earning a glare from Yang _"Kang, hāfuu~itto... Kore made to onajiyōni, mada kuso orokana, watashi wa mimasu"_ (Kang, the half-wit...still as fucking stupid as ever, I see)

This piqued Kami's curiosity as he could smell both Bane and Tsume coming even closer _"Gaki to baishunpu... Karera wa anata wa arimasu ka?"_ (A brat and a whore...are they yours?) Kami teased as Yang's eyes went wide as sausers "Tsume...Bane...No." He would be frozen with fear but took off with great speed and that was his mistake, given he was almost starved and weaker especially in his hungry state.

**Kami was giving him a head start, knowing well that he couldn't get to either in time before he himself did as he watched him go.**

* * *

**Then in one fell swoop, caught Tsume in an arm lock just before Yang could get to her.**

* * *

By this time, Bane had gotten there and showed a display of his rage, usually kept inside for the first time, kicking Kami across the side of his head as his father's heart fell out of his chest in his own explosion of rage _"Anata no monsutā, kanojo kara te o shutoku!"_ ("Get your hands off her, you monster!")

The kick did little more than annoy Kami who simply turned to give the young man a terrifyingly dark look _"Kore wa watashi ga suisoku suru, anata no otokonokodesu ka?"_ (This is your boy, I presume?)

Yang yelled charging in only to be kicked in the head by Kami _"Bein wa, jikkō shimasu!"_ (Bane, run!) But it was too late as Kami grabs him by the neck and drags him to watch, but had to let his mother go to do so...not that she could do anything, she was far too afraid of both Kami's feral nature and presence as well as the fact that such a monster could be lusting for her to even think straight as he gave a sadistic grin _"Idō shinaide kudasai, saiai no hito... Watashi wa sono shunkan ni anata to issho ni, anata wa tebanasu tsumori wa arimasen yo"_ ("Don't move, darling...I'll be with you in a moment and have no intention of letting you go")

He turned to Bane _"Gaki watashi wa dochira ka wasurete kangaete wa ikemasen"_ ("Don't think I forgot about you either, brat")

_"Sore o shi nasai, Yan"_ ("Do it, Yang") Kami chuckled easily catching and slapping Bane hard enough in the face that he hit the ground, spitting the blood on Kami's shoe and the two glare at each other, Kami with an evil, knowing smile as he retrieved Bane's mother and went into an alley, her screams and his pleased moans were heard for the next few hours, infuriating Bane as it was his turn to scream as his father grabs him by the scruff _"Watashi o yurushi, watashi no musuko"_ ("Forgive me, my son") as he was bitten deeply in the neck as he hollered trying to pry himself free to no avail. He was only awake enough to see a somewhat pleased Kami come out with his limp mother over his should as he came his way _"Yukkuri o yasumi"_ ("sleep tight") as he lost his fight with unconsciousness. His father's cries and screams drifted further...he was screaming him name and he wondered why, seeing as all he'd ever done was push him away, beat and threaten him while his mother wasn't around and now was seconds from devouring him completely. It made part of him love his father while another part of him, not letting go of the deep seeded hatred wanted nothing more than him being served his own medicine.

* * *

**Undisclosed Location...two weeks after Bane was bitten, he woke up to an adult male with a x-shaped scar on his forehead that reached the brigde of his nose staring at him at his bedside staring at his red eyes with his golden eyes and unnerving but not cold stare**

"So...you're Kami's brat, eh?" He spoke after a minute in English and a scary calm deep voice "Did he drag you all the way here or somethin'?" He drawled a bit and creased his features to anger, checking the young man's features.

Bane ignored it as he searched the room as the man groaned "the human...is she someone close to you?"

Bane's eyes were fixed on the door before looking at the other Ghoul _"Watashi ga motte iru... Nani no aidea wa, anata wa nani o itte ndesu"_ (I have...no idea what you're saying)

_"Anata wa sore o shite iru ma, anata no un o oshite shūryō shimasu"_ (Quit pushing your luck while you're at it) the man gave the young man a glare that could kill as Bane bowed to the man _"Arigatōgozaimasu, sensei"_ (Thank you, sir)

"Don't call me 'sir', boke" the man said pushing his index and middle fingers to the thoroughly confused Bane's forehead "I am called Scar...Scar-sama will suffice" he pointed at the scar that he knew Bane was pretending he did not notice before escorting him outside.

**Once there, they met every Ghoul waiting, including a hooded fellow whose face was hidden from view and hid among the shadows of the thousands of Ghouls.**

"Interesting..." The man said in a whispery, ghostly tone of voice "So this is what the son of...that son of a bitch, Yang Hiachi is going to be like" he separated himself from the crowd making a quick glance at one of the towering buildings, a lone man stood there with the mask of an Oni as he placed it on the side of his head revealing himself as Kami before slipping into a window...

"So, how do you like the kid?" He smirked adjusting his black hooded jacket as four Ghouls in what seems to be white lab coats look at him wordlessly, he frowned slightly taking his seat "Well?"

"He looks like a weakling...squeamish" one man answered, not taking his eyes off Kami who looked a bit annoyed as he flexed his hand to fist repeatedly and replied calmly and nonchalantly "True..."

"Has he...even eaten yet, Kami-sama?" Another sweat dropped as he stared down at Bane "he looks like he'll faint at the slightest sight of blood though"

Kami put his arm around the man's shoulder and squeezed, but the man held back the pained groan "Look good at his eyes...I put hatred in them...he want me dead even if he has to become me in the process" Kami explained with a sadistic grin "He will learn to abandon his humanity by force if necessary, but what I want to know is why he still smells like a human!"

"He does smell rather...good" the man chuckled "can I have a...closer look, maybe?"

All in the room frowned as they saw a dark flicker in Kami's eyes for a second as he gestured for the man to come closer to him "go ahead..." He said with a deceit always underlying in his voice as he lifted the man once he was next to him and made eye contact with Bane below "What are you doing?!" The man exclaimed, well aware that he'll be a grass stain if Kami threw him from this height, despite the Ghouls' apparent immortality, they can't survive being ripped apart or crushed unless they were lucky as Kami closed one eye "What do ya mean 'what am I doing'?" He snarled slightly "I'm giving you a closer look...a much closer look, you ask and I deliver" he snickered wickedly "...bye bye" he quickly threw the man through the window at the speed of a bullet and a large Binge Eater Ghoul, a Ghoul like Kami with an appetite that is rarely satisfied even by other Ghouls, with silver eyes looked to see Bane visibly flinch as Scar tried and failed to stop him from going to the dead Ghoul's body, the silver eyed Ghoul right beside him.

"He's not...is he?" Bane ventured closer to the dead Ghoul as the man with him gave Scar a look then sneered at Bane "Hey, Scar...ya new friend smells goood" he licked the side of Bane's face, earning a few chuckles before receiving a deadly look from Kami above them as Bane spoke his first words in English, glaring at Kami "You monster, the first thing I eat is going to be your skull!"

All Ghouls remained silent as Bane just realized he was licked by a Ghoul's rough tongue as he wiped and cringed staring at the silver eyed Ghoul grinning at him with those hungry, metallic eyes _"Ew, dare ga sore o shimasu ka?"_ (Ew, who does that?)

The man only grinned and growled _"Ya wa, kodomo o tatakau koto wa dekimasu ka?"_ (Can ya fight, kid?)

Bane shook his head no, another young supposed Ghoul, bandaged from head to toe came to them "I can be your sparring partner" the person about Bane's height and could only be identified as a male by his voice.

"Made your first friend, I see" Scar said as if it wasn't a good thing before smirking "good...but a word of advice, make sure to have runes around your windows and doors to keep...unwanted guests...out once nightfall comes around"

Bane looked at the Ghoul with silver eyes and an effortlessly cold stare as if reading his mind _"Watashi no namae... Ryuken Sarazāru"_ (My name...Ryuken Salazar) the man now named Ryuken, stared at Bane 'He is stronger than he knows or lets on, I may need to keep an eye on his development...'

The bandaged fellow nodded "Jack Arc" he decided that he could trust Bane by giving his real name "but just Jack will suffice" the two Ghouls made it seem like they weren't paying attention when he had their full attention.

**Kami watched Bane closely as well, standing as if he hadn't just thrown a Ghoul out of the window.**

Kami glared over his shoulder at the remaining Ghouls in his presence "unless you want to see flying Ghouls and me painting this place blood red, I suggest you don't fail me, hm?"

None of them dared to take a step toward or away from Kami as they nodded "Hai, Kami-sama!"

Kami turned back to look at Bane "good, now get out" he said as two of the men fainted just from his Killer's Intent.

**Bane on the other hand was allowed by Scar to own a home, the problem was it was in the area where the majority of Binge Eaters lived, which meant if he'd forgotten to replace the magical runes around his doors and windows, he could be eaten up by the greedy Bingers.**

* * *

**Tonight, Bane was so exhausted that he absolutely forgot about a Ghoul's very weak to moderate affinity for Magical Seals and Barriers that he went to bed without putting seals around his doors and windows, not that he could sleep much.**

"Finally in bed...can't sleep, even a little" Bane said in slightly broken English. Little did he know, now that they had free reign of the small cottage he lived in, every Ghoul was also gauging his sleep patterns for the slightest sign that he had fallen into a deep enough snooze to enter and teach him an unforgettable lesson. Bane gave up on that quest but the sound of a broken window made him alert.

**Luckily, it was a neighbour, a couple who did the same foolish act as Bane just did but fell asleep as two Ghouls, predominantly male, entered and almost completely ate the famale while the male was nearly as bad, only half eaten, losing an arm and a leg as his screams made sure Bane had no chance of sleeping as he ran to the window to see what had taken place, what he saw made him shiver with uncontrollable fear as two lab coats were left on the side of the street and a window was definitely broken as two giant men came out, one with a blonde ponytail wearing a black form-fitted hard leather suit that blood seemed unable to stain or soak into as it ran down his jawline and showed off every terrifying muscle as the other with a short crop of slightly spiky black hair reaching his chin, wore a navy version and was a little shorter. Bane noticed them standing at the doors to Kami's residence, but Bane hid as soon as the larger of the two turned his head to his house.**

"Problem?" the smaller Ghoul struggled, both seemingly still feral and more than ready to finish their meal of the female in their possession as the other shook his head "Uh-uh" as the husband reappeared and attacked "Give her back!" but as he lunged the larger man bit him in the head and kicked him hard, all mid-air _"Kono yōna gaichū"_ ("Such a pest") he growled turning to Bane's house and making eye contact with him _"Doko ni ikimasu ka?"_ ("Going somewhere?") He asked to no one as he knocked the 'Pop Goes the Weasel' tune on the door

"Let me in, I only came to talk..." The man said in a cool tone as Bane snapped "No, go away!"

There was silence for a while as a deeper voice asked "You sure about that?" and Bane insisted "Yes, I'm sure...I'm fine."

**Bane calmed down only when he heard footsteps leading away from his new home but only a wall separated him from the shorter Ghoul outside.**

The 'Pop Goes the Weasel' knocking began again and Bane grew frustrated but as he is about to go to shoo the visitor away as the smaller man, after merely touching the wall for a few seconds, then with great but not peerless accuracy, the man punched the wall hitting Bane in the back of the head and stunning him a bit.

Then the larger Ghoul reduces the door to splinters and pins him to the large couch as his large hand muffled his scream as he attempted to suffocate him but thought of a better idea _"Watashitachiha, anata ga watashitachi no don'yokuna shokuyoku o mitasu koto ga dekiru..., Bein o ue?"_ (We hunger, Bane...can you satisfy our voracious appetites?) He said as the other man revealed his white Kakugan that glowed evilly in the darkness as the other man smirked with his golden brown Kakugan "Don't scream just yet...we've only just begun" as they both bit deeply into either side of his neck for hours and even allowed him to scream, just to savor it and once finished, the larger Ghoul pet him on the head "Good boy" as they left him in bed and in pain.

Outside, the larger Ghoul put some of Bane's blood from his mouth into a vial before swallowing the majority and smirked "Mission accomplished"

**The next day, Bane woke up still in pain but healed, much to his own confusion although his bed was still blood soaked when suddenly, Bane heard a voice calling out to him, it was only a mere whisper but he found himself following it through the city until he made it to the library, little did he know Kami was already there following the same voice.**

The library seemed deserted except for Kami as he growled and looked around "Enough with the mind games, old man, come on out here."

"Now now, Kurosaki...did you forget what I did to you the last time you were impolite to me, garçon?" A voice seemed to be coming from everywhere at once as Kami shook his head "No" as he sighed and continued walking, not aware that Bane was there and seething.

Just as Bane's Killing Intent spiked, Kami looked in his direction with a serious expression but luckily Bane quickly calmed himself before Kami thought twice of it.

"What is Kami doing here?" Bane thought out loud but the voice beckoning him replied "Kami will cause you no harm in my presence unless he's just stupid, he has been called here just like you have..."

* * *

**Bane continued walking until he heard Kami grunt as he came sprinting then to a stop at the door as a mask came sliding to his feet with the face of an Oni, then the lights flicked on revealing an unhappy Kami sitting across from a man, a Binge Eater named J'onn Lucario LeBeau as his red ringed eyes gave the young Ghoul a once over as he stood at the door, awestruck that he was holding Kami above him by the neck.**

_"Ne restez pas là comme putain de singe avec sa bouche ouverte , garçon, entrer"_ ("Don't just stand there like fucking monkey with its mouth open, boy, come in.") J'onn snapped Bane out of his daze before he scowled a bit...figuring that understanding people here, between the French-Cajun lunatic before him and nearly everyone else other than the slightly less wacko, Kami, whose main language possibly isn't Japanese.

"I take it you were attacked last night, mon ami?" J'onn said with slight dark humor as Bane nodded "H-hai, I saw them attack a couple nearby as well"

J'onn closed his eyes and smiled evilly _"Sont-ce là les crétins que vous avez vu, mon jeune ami?"_ (Are these the knuckleheads you saw, my young friend?)

The lights flashed and the men who attacked Bane were behind where J'onn and Kami were seated, in chains up to their chins.

Kami looked back at them with a look of death "pray you imbeciles live long enough to explain yourselves..."

"Oui" J'onn nodded in agreement "and it better be good enough for both of us"

**This made the two Ghouls nervous as to what J'onn especially had planned for them.**

J'onn stared at Bane "you may go now mon amis" he looked like he might kill someone at any moment before looking at Kami "you can go too, Kurosaki, I can handle these two without assistance."

"And what of these fools?" Kami asks, not quite ready to leave without his own share of bloodshed but J'onn grabs him by the collar and stares at him coldly with his red ringed Kakugan eyes _"Vous aura pas de part pour obtenir de ce fatras, obtenez maintenant hors de ma vue avant que je dois à déchirer le visage en lambeaux écœurante"_ ("You have no share to get from this rubbish, now get out of my sight before I have to rip your sickening face to shreds") he threatens angrily but a bit too calmly for Bane as he left hoping to return to do a bit of research of his own, with J'onn's permission of course.

Bane went to get some rest while Kami watched him from far...both were slightly startled by the sounds of anguished screams of terror as well as cursing in French coming from the extremely pissed J'onn Lucario LeBeau, a reminder of what Bane was in for if he angered the Cajun Ghoul

_"Howatā anata wa saikō?"_ (What're you up to?) Kami thought standing on the roof as the winds blew all over the still mostly awake city.

**Bane was fast asleep, unaware of what was in store for him...both from his impending training with Ryuken Salazar and Scar, the next visit to the library owned by the very murderous but seemingly kind J'onn Lucario LeBeau, not to mention Kami.**

* * *

**Unconsciously, Bane awaken a power he has no control over yet nor does he know he even has this power...the power to enter a person's dreams, the problem was that the person didn't need to be anywhere near him, there's no telling what could happen if he entered Kami's mind as his mind seems sensitive and he's already got a hyper awareness that Bane did not wish to test the limits of and there seems to be an argument going on between the forms of two ancient enemies. The Angel and the Demon.**

_"Pest..."_ The Demon on Bane's right snarled as his spade-tipped tail lashed wildly _"Your kind is the main reason these vampire-zombie reject freaks still are alive and as voracious and cold as ever."_

_"Right..."_ The Angel seemed to scowl and mock the pissed Demon if the world wasn't so black and white to him here _"and I'm guessing that you're blaming my forefathers for the hypocrites known as your forefathers who 'blessed'...and I use that in very loosely...them with immortality._"

Bane was confused as they two continued arguing "Shut up!"

**Both turned to him so fast that Bane flinched, they were to some degree aware that he is there but unable to hear Bane as his vision went black and he hoped the worst wouldn't happen.**

* * *

**Bane woke up at the same time that Arc jumped up from deep meditation flying to get a better look at two certain homes, the homes of Bane and Kami**

Kami, after feeling unease from being out on his porch, goes inside hoping to sleep while Bane was asleep but tossing and turning.

**Jack got to his feet and walked behind a large boulder, where a light flashed and when he emerged, his form changed.**

**Once a child, he was now an adult with long white hair reaching his lower back and just past his chin at the front. Being in his true form, an angel, he had no halo and one wing on the right leaving a stump where the left wing once was but this hasn't hindered his ability to fly, he was actually still a very fast and remarkable avian and a rocket in the sky.**

* * *

**Looking at Bane, he grimaced...he knew Kami was up to no good and had worse things in mind for Bane as well as his mother as he landed at Bane's house, as soon as his feet touched the ground Bane was out of bed and glared at him before his eyes widened to what he was actually looking at.**

Jack's icy green eyes turned to face Bane, who seemed not to be in the mood for a visit after the last one "I come with a warning, my friend"

**Bane didn't seem all too trusting as Arc's very large wing flexed and Bane's curiosity was piqued.**

When he figured Bane was listening, he continued as he turned their attention to the tower Kami lived in, in time to see him go inside "Your very wellbeing will be in danger in the near future but I can change it if Kami dies tonight"

Bane's glare hadn't changed but he was surprised that the Angel wanted to kill the Ghoul "W-wait, how do you intend to do that?"

The Angel gave him a cheerful, but at the same time, sorry smile as he replied "do not worry about that and don't get involved...I won't restrain myself from harming you as well if I have to..."

He took off before Bane could say anything, he was still confused a bit about the situation.

Kami was readying himself and had just tucked himself into his way-too-big bed in the pitch black room only illuminated by the natural glow of his blue eyes

**As soon as his eyes closed, he fell asleep but even the slightest noise will wake a deep sleeping Kurosaki, like now with Arc's nearly silent footsteps as he entered twirling his scythe with skill that even Kami can't help but praise.**

"You know, entering someone's home with a weapon that has seen enough blood to last a lifetime is rather rude, don't you think?" Kami asks as Ark before looking at the weapon of choice, the scythe, as he saw his reflection on the black and white curved blade _"Dakara, watashitachiha-banashi o tsumoridesu ka, watashi wa dansu o sukippu shite, sakende, watashi no ashimoto ni taikutsude tsumaranai kutsū ni mimodae ni chokkō suru hitsuyō ga arimasu ka?"_ (So, are we gonna talk or do I need to skip the dance and go straight to you screaming and writhing in mind-numbing agony at my feet?)

**Kami was apprehensive of any weapon he'd never crossed blades with and Arc could see it, as poorly hidden as it was as Kurosaki was pinned to the bed with it at his throat but was already thinking of hundreds of other scenarios that don't end with him losing or dead.**

Arc's eyes softened slightly "It's such a shame, really...that boy is destined to kill you or you'll corrupt the rest of your pitiful kind"

"Indeed..." Kami scowled as the scythe was pushed further towards his throat, then he saw his chance _'Perfect...seal your fate, baka'._

**As Kami thought, Arc hesitated and inched back as Bane was close enough to see but not to be pulled in much to Kami's displeasure.**

"I'll make you a mortal, Angel!" He dodged and even took attacks in order to grab hold of Arc's wing as the Angel's body became frozen, giving Kami a million more openings "Thanks for the wing souvenir, but I have no use for the rest of you" Kami growled as he threw the Angel out and attempted to rip the wing clean off but Arc freed himself by nearly amputating Kami, who pulled back.

**The house was filled with smoke, Arc thinking Kami was down but he was neither down nor was he out. Arc wasn't going to underestimate him.**

Kami walked slowly but stopped for a moment and smiled "stopped underestimating now, eh?" Then he went into a full sprint, jumping out of his house with a spinning kick that missed but disarmed the Angel.

"Get back here, you...I said we were going to dance and I intend to kill you NOW" he kept up his assault with hard punches and kicks in a superb display of his skills as a martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant, as he back flipped onto his hands with another series of spinning kick.

"Demonic man...die" he swung his wing and slashed Kami's throat as the wing metallized as he took to the air and shot sharp bladed feathers at the Ghoul, forcing him to run before his cheek and arms were nearly reduced to ribbons.

"Demonic, eh?" Kami looked at him straight in the eye "I'll show you just how right you are!"

**The two clash again as Bane looks on, who will win this fight and how will this ultimately affect the lives and futures of Kami Kurosaki, Bane Asakura and the mysterious Angel, Jack Arc.**

* * *

**A/N - Finally finished with part one of Bane's past, who exactly is the scythe wielding Angel, Jack Arc and what are his intentions for Kami and the Ghouls now that Kami knows he isn't a Ghoul? So many questions...R&amp;R and give your thoughts.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 11**

**Let's see what the outcome of Kami's fight vs the Angel will be and what the Ghouls plan to do after testing Bane's blood and Bane himself when both he and they learn that he is part mutant.**

**Kami and Jack Arc have taken their fight up a notch and Kurosaki is determined to keep him and his scythe apart for his own safety.**

**Bane wasn't sure if they were aware of his presence there yet as they punished each other to the point where Bane thought either or both could die at any moment.**

**Jack is now well aware that he will be lucky to walk away from this fight AT ALL, let alone win...but he was hoping to outsmart or outwit his opponent, since outfighting him was clearly out of the question.**

Arc waited, then made a dash for his scythe but Kami prevented that with a series of remarkable kicks, he dodged them all as Kami wasn't even trying anymore but Kami managed to get his point across that he knew he was done for if the Angel got his hands on that weapon of his again as he waved his finger playfully _"Ima sugu, watashi no kangei sa renai gesuto wa... Subarashī purē to anata no chīsana omocha o wasurete imasu. Jissai no tokoro, watashi wa anata ga mada suru koto ga dekina gara, jikkō suru koto o o susume shimasu." _(Now now, my unwelcome guest...play nice and forget your little toy. As a matter of fact, I'd advise you to run while you still can.)

Arc took a few steps back, but for every step back he took Kami took one forward.

**As if doing as he was told, Jack took to the sky like a rocket...Kami'd be lying if he wasn't impressed as the Angel was quite a swift one.**

"So fast..." Kami gasped silently, rubbing the stubble on his chin as he noted the scarred spot where another wing should be and tsked "such a shame I have to kill you, you'd make a marvelous pet" he cracked his fingers and neck as he grinned wider and more deceitfully "I much prefer killing you on the ground but this was your choice..."

A gust was whipped up suddenly as Kami growled "I hate this power...but being underestimated by the likes of your kind...is extremely unforgivable... _Eien no akumu_ (Eternal Nightmare)"

**Bane looked out from his hiding place to see a crater where Kami once stood as in the sky Kami nearly matched Jack's already incredible speed as they zipped around and bounced off each other.**

**Just as Kami thought he'd won though, Jack bolted for his weapon, with him hot on his tail.**

"Why you little..." Kami snarled, knowing that he'd been tricked as Jack got his weapon but Kami got him.

Kami pinned him to a rather strong wall and choked him tightly with one hand while his other hand clench into a fist so tight that he was shaking.

**Kami started laughing as he punched his face in hard several times, but stopped before continuing his punishment as he saw Bane's little hiding spot.**

"Bane" he said with almost too much calm and dark humor "eh, you'll be dealt with in due time..." He was sure not to let Bane know he was watching or aware of his presence yet.

* * *

**Elsewhere, far underground directly from the battle, a Binge Eater Ghoul with a cool demeanor basically sprinted down the only path before him fast as it was a mile to and fro his destination and the world above but no trouble for most Ghouls to run at top speed without tiring. With him was a vial of blood, Bane's blood, and if he dropped it or so much as thought of tasting his cargo, his boss will have his head then Lebeau, will have both their skulls as his wine glasses. He was jumping and flipping past Ghouls as well until he met two much younger Ghouls up to no good.**

"Hey, what're you two teme up to?" The man, named Rokusho stared at the youngsters as they jumped at his deep voice.

"Rokusho-sama" the younger boy, a well known thief, ran up to hug the adult Ghoul but a swift right backhand slap to the face sent him into the wall instead as he simple brushed his long auburn hair out of his face and smirked "I'm busy...don't try that again or I'll slap you harder, understood teme?" He was a more carefree Binge Eater than the other more intentionally ferocious ones but was no pushover as he looked at the other boy.

**The boy was a well known prankster and Rokusho had threatened him before so he was admittedly scared of him as he walked to him with his green eyes unblinking.**

**Rokusho bowed to his height and raised his hand to slap him silly, he wasn't supposed to be here and was lucky he was simply being slapped around but grabbed him and threw him at his friend.**

He pointed at them "Don't let me catch you two down here again, datte and don't be here when I get back or I'll do much more than just slap you around, got it?" He said as the two scrambled for words as he snapped "I said...do I make myself clear?!"

"Hai, Rokusho-sama" both boys said as they left before Roku made good on his promise as he shrugged lazily "stupid kids..." and opened the door before him leading to the lab where many Ghouls were busy.

**Rokusho entered and was rather unnerved...Why?**

**Well, J'onn LeBeau was there and waiting for him...two, if he hadn't retrieved the item in his possession then he shouldn't have returned in the first place as he was late as it was and LeBeau was unforgiving to anything like traitors and tardiness.**

**To be honest, he was as curious as any Ghoul about what they'll find in the kid's blood as he scanned J'onn for any sign of his temper but the older Ghoul knew he was being gauged as he stared at Rokusho.**

"Do not be so alarmed by my presence here, Rokusho, but I can't help but be curious" J'onn grinned playfully, in a more calculative and more impatient than angry way "Let's begin, shall we?"

"Of course" Rokusho smiles as J'onn looks at him "Do you have it?"

**Rokusho merely grunted in response as he presented the vial of blood.**

"Finally back huh, slacker" Rokusho's boss, Ryu said as he rubbed sweat away before it soaked the bandages that covered his nose and mouth as well as his neck...he also had a problem with Binge Eaters, all but Rokusho who tossed the vial to him as he caught but almost dropped it "Watch it, you dumb-fuck?!" He snapped annoyed "Would you rather getting this from the boy yourself, like Kami's guys did?"

Rokusho shrugged it off, clearly not giving a shit _"Dono yōna kawarimono, sukunakutomo watashi wa sore o eta... Matawa anata wa watashi wa, kare wa anata ga motomeru nani o Atae eru koto ga dekiru yō ni kare no o shiri ni yotte koko ni gaki o shita ni doraggu suru koto o konomudeshou ka?"_ (Whatever geezer, at least I got it...or would you prefer me to drag the brat down here by his ass so HE could give you what you seek?)

"Typical of you greedy, self-serving Binge Eaters..." The man scowled under his breath, but Rokusho took none of it to heart as the man pat him on the shoulder "but thanks all the same."

"Just remember, old man" Rokusho gave his usual animalistic grin "unlike the others, you need my skills and levelheadedness around here so I'll accept that as your 'thank you' present."

* * *

**The Ghouls, even Rokusho although he'd rather not, began running various tests and experiments on Bane's blood while back above, Kami, despite his efforts and the thorough beating he put on Jack, knew he was defeated still as Jack refused to submit.**

"I beat you, I endanger your life, I threaten and torture you..." Kami was at a loss for words as his anger was still evident "yet you still refuse to submit, why?!"

**Kami was shocked to see that, like most of his angelic kind, Jack's own blood had healing properties and the more Kami pounded him, the more potency this ability had.**

**That was the upside, but the downside was that since Jack has spent too much time with the Ghoul as it was, especially the ominously dark Kami, he somehow absorbed too much of the pheromones that partially fuelled their feral tendencies as his blood was even blackened by it, which caused him to be at war within himself and a mysterious dark side developing inside him.**

He made the decision that to, at least slow as he could never completely stop it alone, the curse on the Ghouls given by their former masters, the demons, he would kill Kami Kurosaki.

Kami frowned, his dread growing worse as the Angel gave off the strangest new scent...the scent of a pure, cold-hearted, even demonic killer which made Kami apprehensive, at least a little _'that blood...I must kill him and leave his body to drain, so I can have that healing blood!'_

**Kami smiled demonically as the screen splits and the two finally agreed on one thing...that the other must die.**

One swing of his single wing, Jack was off like a bullet and slashed Kami over 70 times before he could even think of making a move "I am truly sorry...but I must kill you to draw your friends, the Demon Lords, out of hiding to kill them as well"

Kami paled, he couldn't move or believe what he was hearing _"Maō, koko ni watashi no yūjin no yō ni?"_ (A Demon Lord, here as my friend?) Kami didn't know what to feel, fear of his old masters turned torturers or rage that he was being openly accused of being friends with a demon, of all beings _"Watashi wa ie ni akuma o motte kuru koto wanaidarou... Sukunakutomo, sakuhin-chū ni ikite iru no ka shinaide wanai, sono bakku o motte ikou!"_ (Take that back, I would never bring a demon into my home...at least, not alive or NOT in pieces!)

Jack didn't feel safe turning his back on the Ghoul than he did facing him "I'm afraid that I cannot grant you that request" he was intentionally goading Kami into his one weakness, his extremely short temper and rage that has given him quite a name for himself even among Ghouls as he simply snapped and charged "Don't you dare pity me when you 'angels' and your so-called 'God' are to blame just as much, I'll rip you limb from limb!"

_'I wonder if this one had ever been put in Limbo'_ Jack wondered as he danced past Kami's rage-fuelled rampage _'...how unfortunate, with his rage I doubt either the Heavenly Prisons or even Limbo could hold such fury'_

"May your soul find peace..." Jack concluded as he twirled his scythe almost rhythmically "If only your kind weren't cursed..."

"You know nothing of the curses I bare..." Kami smiled, noticing the Angel's healing blood was now having a negative effect on his body as he was literally being burned from the inside out but somehow he could still stand and fight "you don't look so good, one should look at himself before commenting on my past life as a slave in the condition you're in...I never knew this curse was able to spread outside my own body though." Jack noticed the black swirl tattoo-like markings on the top half of Kami's shirtless body but it had never spread to his face like now with Jack but he didn't seem to be hindered very much by it as he went on the offensive and slashed him across his stomach.

**Kami's expression was rather grim as he looked at the wound across his stomach and then Jack, now behind him but that hadn't bothered him until he saw two wisps floating above the scythe's blade, one red and one blue...Kami's heart (still beating, mind you) as well as his soul were forcibly removed and the effects were immediate.**

Kami fell to his knees, as his limbs weakened and brought the mighty to his knees "W-what have you done to me?!"

Bane felt the pure pain in Kami's voice and was hoping the same fate would not befall him, but part of him hoped that Kami both did and did not die. Kami turned to face where Bane was hiding before his eyes went white and his head hit the ground.

**Kami Kurosaki was dead and every Ghoul felt it, a feeling like a weight being lifted off their shoulders then slammed back down with breaking force.**

"I-is he?" Bane was beyond astounded and frankly both scared and suspicious to the same degree but was ignorant to fear now as his body refused to listen to his brain "Yes, Kami's dead, boy...no longer do you need to fear" Jack flipped him over onto his back as proof and he did not move.

Bane, still shocked touches Kami's face and black hair to make sure he wasn't insane_ "Dōmo arigatōgozaimasu"_ (Thank you so much)

Jack touches Bane's head "I wasn't doing it for you...I did it because I saw that it needed to be done."

Bane was very angry...this man denied him his revenge and he was not pleased at all neither did he care if he'd suffer the same fate but kept crying and seething.

* * *

**He heard something...someone running and saw Ryuken Salazar coming their way and he looked outrageously pissed, as he pinned Bane to the ground. He and Scar wanted revenge on Kami as much as Bane and would make the younger Ghoul regret denying him his long awaited vengeance.**

"Enough of that, boy" a stoic Ryuken kicks Bane away and looks down at Kami at his feet, making certain that he's dead his own way, as he never remembered Kami having a pulse or heartbeat even while alive "Take him back..." He said to the men with before making his way to the terrified Bane as one man stopped him, careful not to lay hands on the already irrate Ghoul "Sir...what about you?"

Scar's friend decided to grab the man's throat "Take Kami back...we'll deal with the boy!" He snarled, barely able to control himself as the men lifted Kami, avoiding his black, pupil-less and truly soulless eyes and replied "Yes, sir...you heard him, let's head back."

**The men left the two men with Bane...something about this horrified Bane as both weren't even scared of Kami, let alone him.**

"I-I didn't" Bane tried to explain before he was almost stomped by Ryuken again as the other tried both to attack Bane but to calm Ryuken, his golden eyes clouded by pure rage.

"Ryuken!" the Ghoul who'd licked Bane the last time they'd met, got between the two "breathe...the brat couldn't be responsible for Kami's condition, allow him to explain."

"You...you're the sicko that licked me-" Bane recognized the man who snapped his head to face him "SHUT YOUR TRAP!" he narrowly missed punching Bane as he made it to his feet and distanced himself raising his hands to show he meant no harm "Wait, Kami can explain for himself if you let me wake him. What is your name anyway" Bane looked at the other man.

The man looked at Scar, who was still glaring death at Bane but nodded before looking back to Bane "My name Yamamoto, like you I was brought here due to my parents' links to Kurosaki...he killed my parents, but I'm not mad about that until he took my twin sister, Yuuki from me and I never saw her again" Yamamoto looked away from them as only his right eye turned white on black sclera as the other stayed blue "I am Eto..." He underwent a transformation the only a select few could do and Kami couldn't, turning into a terrifying being with the resemblance of a owl with one downside...

**Yamamoto was a one-eyed Ghoul and was born a Ghoul, a rarity in itself coupled with him being a Binge Eater that couldn't control this form due to the decreased intelligence that came with it, meaning only language he spoke if he spoke at all, was his native Japanese.**

Yamamoto open his fanged mouth with a low snarl _"Anata ga sōdenakereba, watashi wa anata o zentai kuiiru yo... Anata no kotoba o kiku tame ni watashi o settoku suru koto o keikaku shite iru baai, anata wa saikō no nantoka watashi o teishi suru koto ga dekiru to omoimasu!"_ (You'd best be able to stop me somehow if you plan to persuade me to listen to your words...otherwise, I'll devour you whole!)

**Bane attempted to evade but the Ghoul was too fast, despite his new size, blocking his way just to piss him off.**

Bane barely dodged the attacks and snarls back as he throws wild kicks and punches "Nani ga dekimasu ka?" (What gives?) He snaps at Yamamoto _"Watashi wa osorete inaidesu... Shikashi, watashi wa kare no yōna monodearu koto o okonatte orimasen"_ (I am not afraid...but I am not going to be anything like him)

**Scar walks towards Bane with a bit too much calm and smiles like a sadist as the younger Ghoul backed away.**

_"Dō shita no?"_ (What's the matter) Scar, his rage having subsided for the while as long as Bane did strictly as he was told _"Anata ga kidzuku ni wa amarini mo orokada baai... Kunren ga hajimatte iruto anata wa mada ue ni iku koto ga dekiru to omounaraba, koreha hyōzan no ikkakudeari" _(In case you're too stupid to notice...training has begun and this is only the tip of the iceberg if you think you can still go on) he warned as he returned to his human form.

Bane got to his feet slowly "as long as you don't turn into that thing again anytime soon" and the two nodded to that.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Kami is taken back to his home and rested in bed. He has made no response yet and the Ghouls, although not stupid enough to test their lucks, think he's dead but subconsciously he was definitely alive though unaware of what's happening outside.**

Rokusho entered the room, he was the only one here that was a licenced doctor but he was terrified of Kami and had no qualms leaving him as is.

**He checked for pulse and heartbeat and came up empty handed, he didn't show his gladness or any emotion in general, as he was a professional and Kami has been giving his kind (Binge Eaters) a bad name that all they think with was their stomachs and monstrous appetites which was not entirely far from true for many.**

"Kurosaki is indeed dead..." Rokusho knew that Bane was being blamed for that and wants proof before making his own decision "but, Bane or whatever his name is, could never cause such precise injuries."

"Oh, yeah...why is that?" one of his colleagues asked, not entirely believing Rokusho's sometimes flawed judgement.

Rokusho looked at him, flatly with narrowed eyes "take a look yourself...you think Kami would leave himself wide open like that and if it was Bane, he'd be the one on this bed and not this prick" he sighed "if he did and survived, even a little, I'd give him the biggest fucking prize he's ever seen" he alone laughed as the others chuckled randomly, not seeing his humor and looking at him like he was drop kicked in the head at birth, but he was dead serious that he would find some way to handsomely reward Bane.

* * *

**Within Kami's subconscious mind, everything was black as he rose to feet and his head felt like it was run over repeatedly by a truck, like the rest of him.**

"Uh, where am I?" Kami grumbled as he got to his feet shakily "I feel like I've had a Tequila, one far too many..."

**Even with a Ghoul's ability to see in total darkness, Kami could see near to nothing and could barely see his own hands but he could tell that he was in a forest...albeit, a dead forest with no living or dead animals, dead and some broken down trees and this thick black mist everywhere.**

**Kami sighed and began walking in a direction he thought was North and went on for what felt like forever and a voice nicking at his mind wasn't helping his mood**

Kami came to a dead stop and looked around...

* * *

_'Kami...'_

* * *

He heard his name whispered again "Who's there?" He snarled "come out and face me!"

* * *

_'I'm right here...no, over here...no, here...how about you ask BETTER THAN THAT!'_

* * *

**The voice seemed to not like his attitude and would not stand for it, as Kami took a deep breathe which did not help him stay calm but it cleared the anger in his mind somewhat as the multiple voices around him dissipated to one.**

"Okay, where are you?" He said with no sign of anger in his voice and expected the voice to be satisfied enough to leave him alone, because that was all it was getting.

**Silence, then the voice spoke again...sounding more pleased**

_'That's better, datte...I am right here'_

**The voice came from one place now, right behind him as he turned to see the one thing even he never expected, himself with a purely bone-chilling smile, a body of pure shadow and glowing blue pupil less eyes.**

"Who are you?" Kami snarled as his twin looked at him as if raising his brow before replying gesturing between the two of them_ 'You and I, we are the same...I am just the part of you that you should've relied on in order to kill that 'winged delecacy' instead of just giving him a minor, though powerful curse and nearly getting murdered yourself' he bowed 'I am...your dark side, your shadows self and the part of you that has the most influence although you rarely call upon me as I'm the evil part of your heart as well...at least the space where it used to be'_ Dark-Kami made a movement as if rolling his eyes _'since I won't leave until you make up that mind of 'ours', will you embrace me, Kami-kun?'_

"What do I get from this, hm?" Kami rubbed his chin, thinking as Dark-Kami grinned wolfishly as raised his hand to take Kami's _'Everything you want, you will take it...from that whore 'so called' human woman to payback on your new 'stepson', the punk-assed brat'_ he said as he mimicked the forms of both Bane and his mother to lure Kami in.

**Kami was about to reach out to his hand but stopped short.**

"Wait..." Kami paused as his dark twin frowns _'Is there a problem?'_

Kami shook his head "I need to see someone else's opinion..."

_'Asakura's?'_ Dark Kami acknowledged as Kami nodded "If he embraces the darkness, then I'll have to rescind your offer."

_'His opinion?'_ Dark Kami smirked _'I get it, so let's say he doesn't say yes...what then?'_

"I will embrace it..." Kami said, sounding hypnotized for a moment but not being one that likes being controlled, he broke free from his demon-side's attempt to control him "but I'll warn you of one thing..." Kami snarled, looking more evil and demented by the second "I will be the one to take control of you and NOT the other way around, regardless of my decision!"

* * *

**Outside Kami's body, Rokusho was about to leave the room, considering that he could do nothing for the seemingly dead Kami.**

"So, karma has finally caught up with you, huh?" Rokusho's eyes grew lethal, he was not the laid-back dude you wanted to fuck with right now and Bane owed him some answers "It'll do us all some good if you actually stayed dead for once, Kami" he switched off the lights, instinctively not removing his eyes from Kami as he muttered under his breath "This 'Bane' sounds not only powerful, but your opposite in every way humanly possible...just my type o' guy" he left with that.

**Once the door closed however, Kami Kurosaki's eyes opened except his sclaera was black with crack stems around the eyes indicating the activation of his Kakugan but his deep, light blue eyes failed to appear as his emotion went from the emotion he 'died' with to a sadistic blood thirsty grin as he laughed heartily and evilly but no one seemed to hear or take notice**

* * *

**Back with Bane, his training was not going as he expected...he had fighting skill, they just weren't refined AT ALL, but he could fight as he managed to firmly kick Kami, of all people across the head but not all his opponents would be distracted and Kami definitely won't be when they meet again.**

**Scar trained Bane in basic kenjutsu to his insistence, Judo, Karate, Grappling, Tae Kwan Do and what few other fighting styles he knew as Yamamoto sat across from them, his face emotionlessly calm as he looked at Bane, who would soon be his opponent, as he was both physically tougher and stronger than Ryuken 'Scar' Salazar, who wasn't the nicest teacher but trying to cool his temper but Bane also seemed to have the opposite effect on the man and made him laugh more than anything.**

"Let's see your best punch, Asakura-san" Scar braced himself as Bane charged at him only to easily be blocked too easily despite his repeated attempts before replying tired "Let's stop already, it's obvious I can't defeat you" as the man chuckled "Nonsense, try again or have you given up already?" He frowned at the very thought as he wouldn't allow it.

"Also..." Yamamoto added "you've shown no sign of a kagune yet and I, for one am interested in what it'll look like."

"And how long is that gonna take, Yama-jii?" Bane asks with a sigh as Yamamoto growled "as long as it takes, so quit ya whinin' and enough with this 'Yama-ji' business, Gaki"

"Ready?" Scar looks at Yamamoto as the larger of the two men nodded "like always..."

Yamamoto got to his feet and took his fighting stance as Scar took a seat at a safe distance. That was when Bane realized he was dealing with no pushover, he was just growing tired of holding back. Yamamoto wasn't as skilled as Scar but was bigger and stronger than he was and knew how to use his strength.

* * *

**Elsewhere, somewhere within Kami's mansion and hopefully forgotten by him for the moment lie Bane's mother, Tsume as she managed to get out only to see Bane fighting Yamamoto and losing...mommy was already no fan of Ghouls, this ticked her off enough that she beat it out of Yamamoto and Scar.**

"I am out of here" Tsume growled as she dusted herself off and made her way stealthily to the door

**On her way there, she heard a sound that was Bane screaming and looked through the window to see Yamamoto holding her son by the neck with a grin that reflected Kami's before throwing him aside and walking after him.**

She walked out of the door to see two tall men standing on either side of the door "Where do you think you're going, little lady?" The man on the left asked as he smirked and looked at the man on the right who smirked as well "Why don't we go on back inside, sweet cheeks?"

"_Anata-tachi wa ninmu ni hara o tatete hahaoya o dainashi ni kesshite kikoenai koto ga arimasu ka?"_ (Haven't you guys heard never to mess with a pissed off mother on a mission?) She growled keeping her arms close to herself as her shadow distorted as it fed on the two Ghouls' shadows, petrifying them_ "Chūi shite kudasai, kore wa anata ga ima o dainashi ni shitai `amai hoho'de wa arimasen"_ (Be careful, this isn't a 'sweet cheeks' you want to mess with right now)

She ran like the wind after until she came upon Yamamoto, who had switched places with Scar and prepared to attack.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Azazel teleport and walks through a desert a continent away when his eyes widened, sensing a power he hadn't felt in a while.**

"What is this?" Azazel said as he turned to look into nothing as his entire head was covered except his cold, blue eyes.

He was silent for a moment, before removing the cloth from over his mouth to reveal a toothy, dark but somewhat kind smile "There's no mistaking it, that was Kami I just sensed...kid has finally awakened his inner dark side, I should go pay Japan a visit."

Azazel then teleported away with an evil chuckle "I hear Ghouls like children..."

* * *

**A/N - The Ghouls have garnered Azazel's attention, what does Kami have planned for Bane with a Demon Lord on the way and what'll he do when Azazel arrives and wants to take Bane from him? R&amp;R and find out!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 12**

**Kami returns to his home, almost having forgotten his bride-to-be, but what he found was the men set to guard his home and keep the woman inside bound by shadows, he needed more competent guards while he was still patient...he had a plan though.**

The men paled at the sight of Kami as he came closer slowly, they couldn't even tell if he was angry but he sure wasn't happy "What happened here, you two baka?!" He screamed in their faces as they shrank and looked at each other before replying "She, um, escaped?" one yelped as Kami's eyes narrowed as he questioned under his breath "Escaped?"

He got closer as he saw the shadows receding from him, subsequently freeing the men as he stares into his home making sure nothing, other than Tsume being gone that is, is out of place.

"You..." Kami glared at the man on the left as he replied "Yes, Kami-sama?"

"Take some boys hunting for some extra-plump little snacks for the banquet, anyone but that scoundrel, Scar...I'll deal with him personally"

The Ghoul gave a slight bow of respect as he left "Hai" as he left, hiding his longing to hunt humans with the ruthless Scar from Kami, who turned to the other Ghoul "tell every Ghoul here that I will be holding a banquet in a few days and...can you cook?" as the Ghoul, deciding not to say anything to piss Kami off any further, shook his head "...then I suggest you find someone who can or you'll be the main course" he smiled with his hands behind his back before opening his eyes and still seeing the sniveling whelp "Now. Fast." He frowned as the man was off.

**Kami entered his home to leave with a change of clothes to find Bane but stopped, feeling like he was being watched but considered it nothing as he shook his head.**

* * *

**Underground the city, Bane's blood test was finally complete and everyone was thrilled to learn what was so interesting about the newest Ghoul in town. None more than J'onn...**

"Master Lebeau...everyone, I think I found something" one scientist said gaining the attention of the others to his microscope with a sterilized sample of Bane's blood.

_"Un à la fois, s'il vous plaît"_ (One at a time, please) the Frenchman snarled, earning everyone to give him way _"Nous aurons tous à voir, donc cesser d'agir enfants gâtés quand ils ne peuvent pas avoir des bonbons!"_ (We'll all get to see, so stop acting spoiled children when they can't have sweets!)

The scientist looked on as J'onn calmed the crowd wearing an impatient glare "Okay...get away from me, all of you imbeciles" he scolded "I said GIVE ME MY FREAKIN' SPACE ALREADY!" he snapped as everyone but J'onn stepped back as the image was projected on a screen.

"As you can see" the man pointed out after muttering curse words under his breath "the boy has the 'X-Gene'..."

"That is non a great feat" J'onn said, unimpressed "I have ze same gene but no different powers than any other Ghoul in this room"

"True...very true, but that may be because your is still dormant" the man nodded pointing to Bane's red mutant genome inherited from his mother, Tsume mixes with the black human/Ghoul genome inherited from him father that laid mostly dormant until he was bitten by his father "but here is where the similarities with your blood differ, LeBeau" he pointed at the red, black and white cells "ignore the white cells as they're regular white blood cells but look at this red one as it 'mutates' the white cells and the black as it turns them into RZ cells, cells that exist more in a Ghoul than anything else" he put his head down slightly as another Ghoul growled "So, what does that make him...one of us or one of them mutants?"

Lebeau answered "he belongs to both worlds yet neither at the same time, it seems" he rose to leave "we all know he's neither a full-blood Ghoul, like Yang Hiachi or a full-fledged mutant like his mother, the beautiful though dangerous looking Tsume Asakura...he is quite interesting though, as much as he must be powerful" J'onn smirked like a maniac but that was only because he was really curious and rather annoyed with Kami's sudden interest in the twosome.

A look akin to fear then appeared on J'onn's face as if he could feel a Demon Lord drawing ever closer "Find the boy and bring him to me, now, I fear he has gained unholy attention from outside as well." As a Ghoul left.

* * *

**Back with Bane, he was doing better than anyone Ryuken's ever trained but Bane's mother could beg to differ.**

"Good" Yamamoto smirked as he noticed Scar was enjoying himself for the first time in God knows how long _'Scar...'_ He looks at his longtime friend who held far too much hatred in him for Kami, despite the monster he is _'are you sure sending this particular newcomer to his death...again...is the right thing to do?'_ He wasn't losing faith, he was just unsure of his partner's true motives to get his sister back...if she's even still alive.

**That was when something slipped past his senses for a second and he found himself paralyzed from the neck down as he turned to see the beautiful, though equally as deadly, green eyes of his attacker, Tsume Asakura, Bane's very angry at the moment mother.**

_"Watashi no musuko kara hanarete anata no te o nyūshu!"_ (Get your hands away from my son!) Rokusho heard a female voice across from him.

Fortunately for him, he was freed by the shadows enough to block the kick to face but unfortunately, despite the person Rokusho appeared to be, he was against fighting a female opponent.

_"Musuko?"_ (Son?) Rokusho muttered, noticing that she did bare a slight resemblance to Bane before looking at Scar, who looked just about ready to murder her as he charged _"Kureijī o shiri no josei wa, anata ga watashi no kunren o chūdan shite imasu!"_ (Crazy ass woman, you're interrupting my training!) as he swung punches and kicks at her so fast that his limbs appeared to be blurs but it didn't seem to be any trouble for her as she dodged and retaliated with her own fighting style combos.

**Bane decided to get between the two, but Scar, having had his fights interrupted by Bane twice now has had enough, embedding him in the nearest wall with a kick to the chest that Bane knew should've more than killed him instead of just leaving him dazed.**

Silence filled the area before Tsume lunged herself at Scar, trying to strangle him "I'm gonna murder you for that! She snarled "I told you fuckers that NOBODY messes with my family and gets away with it!"

Yamamoto got up, ready to restrain the murderous female when he saw something he never thought possible, Scar blushing as slight as it was.

_"Ryuken, ē to, sekimen, watashi wa anata no kao ni mite iru nodesu ka?"_ (Uh, Ryuken, is that a blush I see on your face?) he asked the fighting master restraining a chuckle before Ryuken grabbed his scruff with a look of a sadist on his face _"Sumimasen, mōichido misutā `watashi wa josei o hitto suru koto wa dekimasen' to iimasu ka?!"_ (I'm sorry, say that again mister 'I can't hit a woman'?!) as the larger ghoul smirked at him and noticed the blush again.

He then looked at Tsume with a wink, she was stunning even with small signs of abuse...he walked right up to her emotionlessly and bowed to her height "Tell me, miss, are you trying to woo Ryuken-sensei?" His eyes were stern but not cold enough to scare here, despite her not being his type anyway as she scowled "I would never, are you mad?"

**She looked at Scar, who rose his head to stare at her and she noticed his golden eyes, piercing her like a sharp laser.**

"You're friggin' kidding me here, right?" Tsume asked with the most straight face on planet, if there ever was one.

**Suddenly, there was a crash alerting everyone as Rokusho appeared via what seems to be a human sized meteor crash, a bit uneasy now that he now knows of Kami's escape.**

"Is that...?" Scar was about to say more when he heard Rokusho groan _"Nan doraggu...Orokana honō"_ (What a drag...stupid flames) the voice within the blaze said as Rokusho stepped out brushing soot off his lab trench coat.

"Well if it isn't lazy bones in the flesh..." Yamamoto smirked as he snapped "Shut up, Yama and greetings, Ryuken-sensei" he said bowing to Scar who bowed back and giving Yamamoto the finger as he returned a cold glare but a twitchy smile nonetheless.

"Where is the one called 'Bane'?" Rokusho said looking around as Bane freed himself and came back over to them replying "I am...what do you want with me exactly?" Bane raised an eyebrow, clearly not trusting the Ghoul, who was grinning manically at him since he got here.

**Rokusho brought his face closer to Bane's, who found it both annoying and made him unsure of the Ghoul's motives.**

"Tell me, are you Kami's killer?" Rokusho said "if so, I owe you the biggest reward of your life"

Bane scowled "I did not kill Kami" but that was a facade to hide his interest in this reward if he DID kill Kami as it piqued his curiosity "but, what's this reward?"

Scar's face went into a deathly calm, something was here was what he thought and almost knew...his scar was stinging before the flames intensified, surging around them as the orange, red and yellow sparks of flame turned a very scary and supernova hot, black.

_'Ameterasu...'_ Scar thought looking at the majority of the flames before them with all his rage and hatred but his pupils just couldn't stay still, be it anticipation that he could either save his sister or avenge her if she was killed or fear that this Ghoul was the one who scarred him for the rest of his very long life, both mentally and physically _'He's here...only he is powerful enough, other than LeBeau to use such a forbidden spell publicly with such ease'_

_"Anata wa, Ryuken... Yamamoto watashi kara tsuma to musuko o totte, ikutsu ka no shinkei o motte imasu"_ (You've got some nerve taking my wife and son from me, Ryuken...Yamamoto) the voice of Kami Kurosaki said, sounding like he was everywhere at once as the man himself stepped out of the inferno untouched as if he'd just come out of a waterfall.

_"Jissai ni yorokonde anata no tsumadearu koto ni dōi suru mono to shi suru no ni jūbun'na orokana kotodarou tsuma... !"_ (Wife...who would be stupid enough to actually agree to willingly be your wife?!) Yam a moto snarled, clearly NOT believing Kami could actually settle down and get married and the spouse still lives.

Kami remained silent and cast his glance on Tsume with pure malice in those blue orbs of his, though she quickly caught on.

Tsume cringed at the thought as she snarled at the Ghoul before her _"Nē, ōkina aidea wa, watashi wa anata no tsumada hito ni itte mawari ni nani ga okotte iru nodesu ka?!" _(Hey, what's the big idea going around telling people I'm your wife?!)

Tsume's rage was blown away the moment Kami looked at her with an indescribable emotion, meaning she couldn't tell what he was planning which was very bad as she saw a very unnerved Scar coming to her rescue dashing past her.

"She did nothing to you, leave her alone or so help me..." Scar charged at Kami but he finished for him by grabbing some dirt still ignited by the Ameterasu flame "...or so help you'll what weakling, did you forget my plans for your little nii-chan?"

"Sister..." Scar stopped for a moment before going into another bigger fit of rage "Don't you dare bring my sister into this!" Kami was not perturbed by this however, as the other two noticed.

"Tough luck, whelp" Kami practically danced past Scar's kick "she's already an extremely minor part of this..."

_"Ima, anata wa kachinonai inu no yō ni, anata no shujin no ashimoto ni kusshimasu" _ (Now bow to your master's feet like the worthless dog you are) Kami snarled as he jammed his hand into Ryuken's scar earning a blood curdling scream as he dared the other "You're surrounded but feel free to try me" he challenged as Yamamoto was bound and Kami yelled "Why don't you come out and have a little fun, boys?!"

The men could barely restrain Scar but he eventually gave up due to pain from his scar which was glowing crimson and black now. The flames were burning inside him and his blood was beginning to boil in the area

"Leave them alone!" Bane screams as he dashes and kicks Kami across the side of his head in a similar fashion to how they'd first met, only difference was that Kami was frozen in place before turning his demonic stare to his 'son' _"Fea keikoku, gaki, watashi wa baiijō onaji torikkīna sōjū no tame gaitō shimasen" _(Fair warning, brat, I don't fall for the same tricky manoeuvre more than twice)

Kami looked at Tsume's reaction to the brutal beating of her only son as she muttered through rage filled tears "Bane, run"

Kami felt some payback was due as he glared at Bane, still grinning wolfishly _"Soredewa, anata ga atama no naka de kera retai hōhō o mite mimashou!" _(Let's see how you like being kicked in the head!) Kami drew his leg far back, enough that Yamamoto though Bane's head might pop off and kicked the young Ghoul in the temple and sending him flying and landing a few feet away.

"I can't even begin to explain how much pain I plan to happily inflict on you, useless little shit" Kami appeared over Bane and laughed as he stomped his as head back down he attempted to get up, eventually causing him to give up by falling unconscious as he kept up his brutality until even his own men cringed as he proved to be one of the most ruthless Ghouls alive but frowned "aw, no fight left?"

Tsume's expression was priceless to him as before she could make her next move to or away from him, he was right in front of her in seconds "I think I've earned myself a kiss, don't you?" He grabbed her by the neck when she tried resisting him as she stared back at the still pain-stricken Ryuken 'Scar' Salazar and a more worried than usual Yamamoto "Not a while I'm still breathing" Tsume growled back before Kami choked her with one hand.

"That can be easily arranged but I still have use for you...take a nap" Kami said as he harmlessly smacked her in the head to knock her out before retrieving Bane.

"Lock these two traitors so far away that even you won't be able to retrieve them" Kami ordered the Ghouls before taking Bane and Tsume as he left before one of the men asked "and what of those two?"

"I can deal with them on my own" Kami said looking back at the group as they nodded and left as the flames engulfed Kami, Tsume and Bane and they were gone.

**Elsewhere, in Osaka, far from Bane's location underneath the city of Tokyo, Hiachi Yang was forced to leave the town he's basically watched Tsume take care of Bane's needs in as he didn't care much for the former human at all despite both having the same blood in their veins. The humans were hunting him due to a Ghoul attack on a human and him, although not responsible but covered in blood, was attacked as if he was some sort of witch and forced him to flee using his adept. He had no idea that Azazel wasn't far away...not that the precarious and far more dangerous Demon Lord would ever help a Ghoul. As for when he finds Kami, he'd stand a better chance against him with a full belly even if he lost as he plans to rip the Alpha Ghoul a new one for what he did.**

_'Bane...Tsume'_ Yang couldn't help but think of his wife and son as he'd managed to stop crying but his refusal to eat since their absence had made him weak and three times as angry as he jumped from tree to tree and scooped looking behind him to see fire coming in his direction in the distance, the humans were after him and he could easily kill them but won't allow himself to kill his former neighbours and acquaintances (he NEVER considers them being his friends, those he could do without...) _'now I know why Kami wasn't hungry or willing to go on a hunt with me...he dare attack those poor people?!' _Yang was now even angrier as he danced through the branches faster.

Something just told him to look directly below him, when he saw a blur of red dash past him "No way a human could move faster than me at the speed I'm going at" Hiachi snapped to himself before giving an evil smile that was unlike him "No matter...I need something to eat now, I won't make the mistake of starving myself before facing Kami - that monster - again."

**With Azazel...he was busy trying to find the Ghoul City, but since the Ghoul created it to get away from the Demon Lords in the first place, he had no way of finding it unless he _made_ a Ghoul take him there which was where Yang came into play. Little did they know, J'onn Lucario LeBeau was already well aware of their visit.**

"Now where can I find a Ghoul around here?" Azazel rubbed his chin as he dashed above a group of angry mortals chanting Demon as he wore a grim expression "...not on your life..."

His everlasting patience was waring thin until the very thing he was seeking, in the form of Yang Hiachi, just tried to kick his head off but he sensed it in time to grab the leg and pinned him against the tree "So you're the one they're looking for...little fledgling twit" he choked him in a way that he couldn't be bitten, before noticing a Yang symbol tattoo on his right forearm signifying that he was one a Demon's slave.

Yang was fighting to get Azazel's much smaller hand from around his neck to no avail before he was slammed hard against the tree as the Demon Lord growled "Stay still!"

Yang froze, looking at the man who was choking but not hurting him, yet anyway and his eyes widened at those cold silvery grey eyes of Azazel.

Yang closed his eyes and took a breath in through his nose and out his mouth before grabbing and twisting the hand choking him with breaking force and locking it behind Azazel's back as a red tail held his neck tightly, which did not break his grip.

Azazel smirked and they were teleported right in front the human mob "Go on, try it" he taunted Yang "we break each other's necks and let these humans finish us off...or you guide me to the Ghouls"

Yang remained silent, weighing his options when he heard a gun make a cocking sound at the side of his head and heard a deep voice "looks like we found the demons, men"

"Deeply sorry for your woman..." Yang spoke to the human man with a shotgun aimed at his temple "but I didn't kill anyone!" as he looked like he'd explode at any second.

* * *

**While Yang was trying to prevent himself from going on a killing spree, with no help from Azazel, LeBeau knew they were getting closer and he didn't quite know what Kami was up to but knew it wasn't good as he'd begun showing just how evil he truly was overnight with Bane like a deer in the headlights.**

_"So, Bane has both mutant and Ghoul blood in him, eh?" _J'onn thought as he began meditating deeply, as the spell he was preparing to use was dangerous if his mind wasn't perfectly calm as he was trying to reach Azazel's mind...although not a telepathy but with a special spell "Mindreach...Lord Azazel, greetings" he said in an echo-like voice as he opened his eyes, which were glowing deep orange as a sign that the spell was successful.

* * *

**Back with Azazel, despite his hatred of his current predicament he was forced to leave a human alive after both his and Yang's heads were almost blown off their shoulders thanks to an ability of Yang's that he was slowly beginning to hate. The ability to bend one's will, no matter how strong it was.**

"What would a Demon Lord...the secretive, powerful and extremely eccentric for whatever reason right now, apparently Lord Azazel want with Ghouls?" Yang began smiling again with his usual wide red eyes staring at Azazel behind him, knowing that his ability to bend the wills of others had few restrictions as Azazel glared at him and got straight to the point as Yang's spirits seems to be lifted for now "I'm expecting...a little one at some point and I heard that Ghouls like children"

Yang slipped and nearly crashed into a tree upon hearing this, as Azazel gave a sarcastic chuckle "you do know how retarded you just sounded, right?" Yang asks with a questionable look "if the kid's human, I call dibs on eating him or her"

Azazel smacked him in the back of his head with his tail which felt like a whip earning a glare "Don't EVER do that again, I'm in the most fucked up mood right now that I could ever be in and I haven't eaten" Yang narrowed his eyes as Azazel did it again uncaringly.

**Despite Yang's temper, Azazel seemed to sense an aura of sadness in him...something he thought was foreign to Ghouls but then he felt a sensation in his mind similar to telepathy as J'onn Lucario LeBeau beckoned the two or at least an astral projection of him did.**

"Greetings, Demon Lord" the voice of J'onn Lucario LeBeau said as he appeared with a orange glow around him.

Yang raised an eyebrow "You're not really there...are ya?" he passed his hand through the other Ghoul whose attention turns to him "very smart of you to see through my spell so quickly with such ease...we have much to talk about"

But Yang cuts him off "With all due respect and I'm not trying to insult you but I'm more in the mood for bloodshed than peace right now" his red eyes narrowed then widened "Where. Are. Bane and Tsume?"

"Kami has convinced every Ghoul here that they're _his_ wife and son but keeps them under a tight leash" LeBeau said as Yang's knees almost went weak "What...how dare Kami lay hands on my family?!" Yang gave up on suppressing that wild anger of his...he needed to hit something right now to practice for when he crushes Kami's skull as he yelled the Ghoul's name "Fuck you, Kurosaki!" He punched the tree and broke it in half.

Azazel was no less than amazed, for a man who wasn't looking as strong physically, he seemed to have a protective insincerity his snappy temperament that he'd stunned the Demon Lord into silence as he growled "I've heard enough...we're coming there now" Azazel nodded and took off after the Astral ghost of the head of the LeBeau family, which consisted of humans, Ghouls and mutants.

Yang was the last to go as a twinge of gold appeared in his eye and an unseen voice agrees with his **"yes...we shall have our vengeance" **the voice said, clearly Yang's own.

**"You are smart enough to know even you are not powerful enough to do this without my help" **the voice said seductively, attempting to drag Yang into his own mind but he resisted causing his nose to bleed "No, I will get my son back with these hands..." he looks at his hands and schools "and I'll deal with you when the time comes"

The voice laughs, knowing thedifference in power between Kami and Yang from the last few times they've met **"your funeral then, but I will be waiting and watching as my offer still stands if you reconsider taking it..."** as Yang snaps "I know, but you will always leave empty handed."

**"Now that you no longer have indegestion, you just MIGHT stand a chance" **the voice made an uncalled for, to Yang, joke to try to waver his confidence **"the boy will be put to the same trial that _we_ were at his age and you know you won't get there in time to stop it with a Demon Lord who doesn't even know where he's going"**

**The gold disappeared from Yang's eyes as he followed the others, ignoring the voice and hoping it wasn't right for once.**

* * *

**Elsewhere Kami had taken Bane and Tsume back to his home and made sure to separate them. He plans to introduce Bane to two 'friends' of his in a far worse way than his first meetings with the Binge Eaters in the neighbourhood.**

Kami kept Tsume down the hall locked tightly into a guest room he'd never found a use for, both her and Bane still under the powerful sleep spell he casted on them earlier. The only way a Ghoul can sleep is with a time-delayed version of the spell that awoke the one it was cast on at a certain time of the caster's choice even if the person casts it on themselves.

In his hand was the Kusarigama, the chain and sickle weapon with two weights and scythe-like, deadly sharp sickles while on his back was his second resort...with a weapon about Kami's own height and even his own bloodlust is second to this sword's.

The name was the Kubikiribōchō, a large sword with the ability that if it was ever chipped or broken, the blade reformed itself by feeding on the blood of it's victims...which explained why nothing was found of most of Kami's victims as he would intentionally break the rust resistant, naturally blackened blade before seeking victims for both of them and by the time it was over the blade showed no sign of ever being broken.

"Wake up, boy..." Kami said to Bane as his ear twitched as the only sign that he was hearing but ignoring Kami's request.

Kami gave an grunt, barely able to hold his stature and temper which Bane has made it his intention to test since his arrival as a shadow moved from the teen's bed to inches from Kami's feet where his own shadow would've been if not for the absence of his soul.

He sneered "that won't work, kid...I have no sha-" he was cut short by a swift, solid uppercut that knocked him into the air but he flipped to land on his feet in the nick of time and what he saw not only amazed him but pissed him off further as Bane was still out and attacking subconsciously as Kami spins the weighted ends of the Kusarigama "Wakey, wakey...you've slept enough, boy!" as the weapon hit Bane's spine causing a sickening crack that Kami has heard too many times in his life to be bothered by and he screamed as his spine was effectively fractured before his ankle was wrapped by the chain and Kami spun Bane from the ceiling to the floor repeatedly while laughing like a madman.

He walks up to him as he weakly attempted to get to his feet as he sighed in a partially satisfied manner as Bane lunged at him but received a knee to the chin instead as he was much too slow _"he somehow has Tsume's ability of controlling his shadow but seems to use it much differently, maybe even at the same time as his Ghoul abilities...whatever they are...this is going to be a hindrance to my plans if left unchecked"_ he thought as Bane woke up and stared at him in a mixture of agony, anger and shock. Kami wants that agony on his face much longer.

Kami brings his forehead to Bane's and smiles even more sadistically as he said "Stay awake for me now..." but before Bane could snap back, Kami gripped the long handle of his sword and poured out enough Killing Intent to kill a cow at him to silence anything he thought of saying, making him want to vomit which he was allowed to do out the window.

"Mother..." Bane struggled even to speak as Kami replied "in the other room, she gave me permission to have you all to myself" he grinned as he put one of the Kubikiribōchō's two holes, a full circle near the top of the blade and a half-circle closer to the hilt and handle, around Bane's neck as he dosed off as Kami snapped "I said don't sleep!" Using the blade of Kusarigama to scalp his right thigh open, earning a pained scream. Kami smiled with narrowed eyes the entire time.

**Suddenly, Kami's fun was interrupted by a knock at the door though he knew who it was...the older twin brother of Kami's subordinate that was killed by a weakened Hiachi Yang.**

Suddenly, a hollow knock at the door caught Kami's attention as well as Bane's "You called for me, Kami-sama?" a slightly familiar voice asked Kami.

"Come in, Tsujin" Kami said as the Ghoul enter and looked around before casting his eyes on Bane with indifference as Bane gasped, Tsujin look almost identical to a Ghoul he watched his father murder named Kang.

Tsujin was closest to Yang, namely a brother he doesn't have as he was a only child, and obliterate him like his brother was. Bane saw him and froze, hoping not to have to fight him AND Kami "So this is the overnightly famous Bane Asakura...pity, I wasn't expecting a weakling"

"She's in the other room if you'd like to start now..." Kami said, tossing him the large sword which he caught like nothing as Bane asked "What are you planning to do with that?!" Tsujin glared at him over his shoulder before speaking again in a deep tone of hatred "Either you or your father to my brother's life and I'm simply going to _ask_ her a few questions"

"You don't need that to ask questions!" He points at the equally as bloodthirsty sword his slung over his shoulder as his reply was "I want answers and this is only for if she decides not to answer to my liking...good riddance, Asakura." He shut the door as he left as Bane sobbed "I don't care if you take my word as the truth or not either."

"Do not cry, she's the least of your problems now" Kami said as he started another two forbidden spells "Shadowmind" he said as Kami Kurosaki disappeared from Bane's eyes only and Hiachi Yang appeared with the same evil glare. Then, though knowing it was stupid and doing two forbidden incantations in a row was both stupid and dangerous, he proceeded with the second spell "Wind teleport" as a gust filled the room and when it dissipated, Kami and Bane were gone.

**Tsujin entered the other room, perceptive as usual and expecting the unexpected as he twirled the Kubikiribōchō like it was a katana although the weight was getting to him. Before him was his desired target, Tsume, Kami's spell was just waring off but she was still out.**

"This should be fun..." he looks at Tsume, she was stunning and he thought it quite a shame to kill her but Kami promised him his revenge "So beautiful, yet such a shame I must kill you. Then again..."

He sat near the bed and waited for her to wake up "I did say you owed me some answers" and with that, he sat on the floor and waited as he could feel the spell becoming weaker, she woke up on her own and his blade was immediately at her throat "I want some answers and you should answer them and don't lie if you want that pretty head of yours to stay where it is"

"I wouldn't grant a request from you rapists even if you did kill me" Tsume snarled as her shadow almost snared the man if he didn't jump away as he looked at her in surprise "I am out of here"

Tsujin stared at her, making no attempt to hide the fact that she was really trying his last good bit of patience before his eyes widened to a statement made by Kami that she was his wife...he was beginning to think Kami's been lying to everyone all this time "Tell me the truth, do you..." he thought for a moment "love Kami even a little?"

Tsume didn't need to think of an answer but was caught off guard "wha-hell, no" she snapped as she dashed past him to the door but he threw the sword - without looking - and jammed it "Is Bane your kid or his...I am not letting you leave this room 'til you answer ALL my damn questions and if not Kami, who's his father?"

"His father is Hiachi Yang, NOT Kami" Tsume said tearing up "and...Kami kidnapped me because he was jealous that my husband has a beautiful wife and not him...he raped me in front of Bane" she fell to her knees crying until a hand on her shoulder jumped her "I promise to neuter that lying son of a bitch for you...a beauty like you shouldn't cry." He allowed her to cry on his shoulder despite his lack of understanding when it came to human emotion.

He retrieved his sword and put it to her throat "but I warn you, I will kill you without hesitation if I find that you're lying..." he removed the sword and placed it on his shoulder as he helped to her feet "there's someone I'd like you to meet."

* * *

**He carried her on his back as he made his way to Lebeau's place, watching her passively every now and again as she fell asleep...meanwhile, Kami was busy punishing Bane for his own sadistic pleasure. Bane still seeing Yang's face and body instead of Kami's, so he could be turned against the Ghoul should he decide to come.**

Bane used to fear insects at a point in his life but his father took care of that by showing him how to kill them without touching them...even used his own KI to kill them when he thought Bane wasn't looking, ridding him of his fear eventually.

But two things were different here, for one it wasn't a big and highly venomous and creepily dark red Centipede with sharp limps that wasnow between Kami's fingers and he wasn't chained to a chair with it inches from his face when the poison melts skin and bone, even to Ghouls.

"This is the Chinese Kakuja Centipede...that is also native to Japan" Kami explained as he waved the vile bug before Bane's eyes "it is incredibly toxic, wanna know what I plan to do with it?"

Bane refused to answer, so Kami continues by whispering in his right ear "I'll put it in your ears if you ever kick me in the face again" as he placed the screeching, now pissed bug near his other ear. Bane was shaking now as Kami kept the insect from his ear or worse biting him and choked him, forcing his mouth open "then I'll put ten in your throat EACH DAY alive, should you tell Tsume or anyone else of our little meetings."

Kami put the insect in a cage as he noticed Bane hasn't said a word to him since he's been brought here as his Ghoul abilities have begun maturing and RZ Cells began bubbling on his skin at his tailbone and was hot enough for some reason to scorch the back of his shirt and was burning his skin.

Kami turned to glare at him, but it turned to a wicked sort of happiness when he saw his back "Just in time...Now, we begin" he said anticipating the appearance of his powers. Kami retrieved an injection needle and a large bottle with a clear liquid "I'd scream if I were you...of course although Ghouls have far superior senses to humans, no one will hear us here."

Bane began begging as Kami came closer with the needle full of the liquid but thanks to his fighting his restraints, Kami almost dropped the needle. "Can't stay still, I think I have a cure for that..." Kami was about to reach for the creepy crawler again but anger overcame him.

Kami clenched his fist and stood facing Bane "Stay! Still! Useless! Fool!" Kami boomed punching Bane hard in the face at least three time with each word. "Keep this up and I'll put them in your rectum too, would you like that?" He warned as Bane shook his head

Kami clenched his fist again but slapped Bane in the face instead "Don't nod, answer 'yes, sir' only!"

"Yes, sir" Bane forced himself to speak, he didn't want to talk as he might say something that would earn him more beatings.

Kami looked pleased enough with that as prepared his needle and stabbed Bane's arm with it without remorse and injected the entire thing into his bloodstream as he began hyperventilating and was in unimaginable pain as three tails formed behind him but we're soon dragged back into his body.

"So the suppressant works but I've no patience for how long it will keep the kid's Ghoul powers under a leash..." Kami spoke to himself aloud "...I want to kill you so badly, but not yet...not until I make you watch me make Tsume mine, speaking of which I won't kill her yet either"

The serum Kami injected Bane with were killing every cell in his body slowly, but it was slowed by one of it's own effects, it sped up up his heart which in turn sped up regeneration and in turn, slowed the very strong toxin. A hindrance Kami had yet to over come.

_"Naze... Naze anata wa kore o yatte imasu ka?" _(Why...why are you doing this?) Bane surprisingly was able to speak almost normally as Kami turned to see him cough blood as his blood red eyes met his and widened as an aura of pure evil appeared around the demonic man as he grinned and came closer to the powerless Ghoul _"Kore wa watashi wa anata ga sore o kanō ni suru kotoda 1da... Yatte inaishi, anata ga watashi o MAKE made watashi wa teishi shimasen, anata wa watashi ga kono yōda riyū o shite iru, koreha kansha o ataeru tame ni watashi no shitte iru yuiitsu no hōhōdesu anata e!" _(This isn't my doing...you're the one who's allowing it and I won't stop until you MAKE me, you're the reason I'm like this and this is the only way I know of to give thanks to you!)

Kami removes Bane's shoes, showing his bare feet, the ground was ice cold but didn't seem to be made of metal, as soon as it happened, since his arms were in chained that were digging into his flesh by now and his feet weren't, he swung a kick that hit Kami square in the jaw, making him stagger back, but he only chuckled and continued his advance. _"Watashi kara nigeru!" _(Get away from me!)

"I'll cut those bothersome fingers and toes off, then beat you up some more" Kami muttered excitedly to himself almost forgetting Bane pestilent shadow as he sped past him, testing out his speed which has surpassed the speed of a regular Ghoul and rammed his hand through Bane's stomach as it came out his back and the shadow halted for a moment, looking at it's master as if it were alive before disappearing into a normal shadow after making a gesture to Kami that it will kill him next time they met.

Kami only raised an eyebrow to the shadow "Infidel being, you'll never get the chance...now, where was I before that rude interruption?" He asked Bane "ah, that's it..."

Kami gave a dead frown before delivering punches to Bane's poor body at mach speed, all while growling at him "Serve me..." He stopped as his incantation was ready "Serve me, my son Bane" he pointed his palm at him as it gave a dark blue glow as Kami's Kakugan turned a permanent orange instead of the usual blue he always had in the process, but it put Bane in a coma-like state if he weren't wide awake and now in no way able to defy the man that now controls him, Kami Kurosaki.

**The restraints holding Bane suddenly snapped, the force of the Magic literally eviscerates and burns them with the fire attributed magic Kami was so adept in as a changed Bane runs up and hugs Kami calling him father. Kami wore the most indifferently shocked expression as he simply past Bane on the head as opposed to hugging him, meanwhile Yang felt a difference in the air at the exact same time what caused both a terrible nosebleed and him to start crying although he was greatly embarrassed doing so in the presence of Azazel of all people.**

Since Azazel protecting him from those humans, Yang has been depressed and brooding as Azazel was explaining how they were going to deal with the Ghouls and especially Kami who won't take his return very well at all. Yang suddenly goes deaf, seeing the Demon Lord moving his mouth subtly, although with Azazel's reputation he knew there was no such thing as subtlety between them.

All this time, he could feel Bane and Tsume on a spiritual level regardless of their distance apart but with the changing of the wind he now cannot feel Bane, as if he doesn't exist and could barely feel his mate, Tsume.

When he felt the rage flowing off of Yang in a much greater and chaotic wave, he glanced back to see that the Ghoul could no longer move, let alone stand.

"Is something wrong, Yang?" Azazel asked receiving no indication that Hiachi even heard him as night crept up on them and and the mournful Ghoul stared at the full moon as his Kakugan slowly deactivated "Yang, wake up" he snapped his fingers as Yang suddenly lashed out and swung a kick at him as he teleported away to keep his distance but Yang caught up to him with a yet to be displayed speed and fell beside him on all fours breaking down "I'm losing my family a-and there's nothing I can do to stop it, I just know Bane won't forgive me for treating him the way I did and Tsume-chan thinks of me as a weakling...this isn't Kami's fault...entirely"

Azazel looked at him in silence, he was no father (yet) so he knew no way to help Hiachi Yang with his...current predicament but offered "you're no weakling, otherwise you'd just leave them behind and start anew" that caused Hiachi to scowl at him and cuss under his breath before snapping "You are mean, you know that?"

Azazel tried not to take that to heart but knew that and Yang was dead serious both in words and demeanor which he never finds unusual as the astral J'onn disappeared as the city was far off in their view as Yang growled at the pleasure of killing his surrogate father and the man who raised him since neither knew their families "I'm coming home, Oto-san" the image of the younger, kinder Kami in his mind and heart.

* * *

**Elsewhere, J'onn Lucario LeBeau had a visitor he was both expecting and not expecting at the same time...Tsume and Tsujin came to visit and Tsume's impression of J'onn was weird even from a Ghoul's standpoint and waaaay too nice to her although evidently worried for her well-being.**

There was a knock on the door as Tsume whispered to Tsujin "What the hell are we doing here?"

Tsujin looked at her with a look of annoyance, he hated overexplaining things and repeating himself "Don't be such a wuss, LeBeau-sama may be a bit eccentric and odd, even to other Ghouls but Kami wouldn't dare enter his premises even if he knows you're here"

"And to what do I owe this visit?" J'onn said sweetly as he opened the door and Tsujin merely grunted and bowed replying "I have recovered the broad as I said I would, sir...meet Tsume Asakura." He grunted and nudged her forward before she even thought of moving back from the man who was clearly slightly shorter than Kami and seemed no match for him in terms of appearance as he looked at her in a way that she thought he must be the king of flirts.

"Why hello there, beautiful" he held her chin with his finger as she somehow could sense his strong intent to kill just about anyone that even looked at her wrong but bared no ill will towards her "Stop assessing me, dear miss Tsume and come in" he let them in as Tsujin noticed her fear of what they both could have in store for her.

"You know how lucky you are, lady?" The three sat as Tsujin grinned at her "I've _literally_ put my life and reputation on the line bringing you here, so show a little gratitude"

"What about my son then, Tsujin-san?" Tsume asks as she tries not to show just how pissed she was that Tsujin left him behind as he replied "Well, he knows who murdered my teme brother if he didn't do the deed himself...as far as I'm concerned, you were far more worth saving than that cowardly little fool."

Tsume stopped mid-sip and put her tea down "Don't talk about my son like that around me unless you want your ass kicked" as Tsujin raised an eyebrow and sneered replying "Watch it, woman...unless I have proof that he killed my brother, I'll say whatever the rat's ass I want about the Gaki I damn please and don't think I'm scared of you either"

The two were at each other's throats already as Tsume's shadow held his and paralysed him, but not before he grabs her throat, threatening to bust her throat with his black clawed fingers.

**Lebeau remained silent before with great speed, he gets between the two and slapped both hard enough to separate them**

"Enough!" J'onn made both stagger and free each other with a single slap to each of their faces "you will have enough time to kill each other on your _own_ time, I saw him and he's almost here" he said the last part hoping this person was here on friendly terms and not to start a war with the Ghouls as a species.

"Who did you see?" Tsujin said, annoyed that J'onn refrained from getting to the point as he picked his clawed fingernails in boredom as J'onn looked at Tsume "The Demon Lord, Azazel and Hiachi Yang who seems to want to take Kami's life."

"Yang's coming?" Tsume asked, hope flickering in her eyes as J'onn nodded "Yes, but even he knows he is no match for the man who basically raised and trained him...Kami Kurosaki, who'd also taught him everything he knows"

"I had a feeling you'd say that" Tsujin said as his unnaturally blueish green narrow eyes looked deeply into Tsume's and he smiled "so he's the fucker that killed my brother, eh?" As Tsume nodded.

Tsujin walked to the door and looked back at Tsume "I don't know or care what Kami-sama has in store for the boy, but it ain't good and it ain't happening if I have anything to say about it." Tsume tries to follow "I'm coming too" but Tsujin pushes her back into J'onn's arms without even touching her replying "No, you're staying as I can't risk Kami getting his hands on you again" He then looked at J'onn then left, going back for Bane.

"Yang..." Tsume said expressing her worry for the reunion of the father and son who never loved each other enough to bond.

**A/N - Yang Hiachi and Azazel are almost on the Ghoul's doorstep with Kami having no knowledge of their coming yet but what will Yang be able to do now that Kami has turned Bane against him, can he fight or kill his own son and what secrets does Yang hide that even Kami doesn't know about? The next chapter tells all and their fight will be epic.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 13**

**Tsujin made his way silently slipping through the streets in the night as he made his way back to Kami's home, unsure if Bane was still there and hoping Kami wasn't there expecting him.**

He entered the front door of large cottage Kami called home and noted that he was indeed alone, however he was late by the still lingering feeling of forbidden magics _"Wareware wa koko de nani ga arimasu ka?"_ (What do we have here?) The more Tsujin looked around this place was the more he scowled as his boots clunked on the hard satin floor...Kami did like always like nice things though money was not necessarily a necessity to a Ghoul.

Greed, however, was another story...Ghouls were always more allured and attuned to the darkest emotions as it influenced them much more than it did when they were humans and it wasn't to be ignored as emotions were the Ghoul's greatest weapon but also their biggest weakness...this was also what Kami had taught Tsujin and his brother, Yang when they were just newcomers here.

Tsujin's booted feet made hollow thuds on the exquisite wooden floorboards as he made his way into the living area and noticed a change in the sound of the floor under him.

"What the-?" He muttered as he examined closer by removing the floorboard revealing a hole sealed by a mixture of Adamantium and other metals as he was aggravated by the scent he got from directly on the other side of the thick sheet of metal "What the fuck is that?" He snapped as he covered his hypersensitive nose from whatever was on the other side.

**He ripped it apart with his bare hands, revealing metal which was a mix of Adamantium and some other metals.**

"Where'd Kami find Adamantium to mix it with impure metals, I wonder..." He tore it open, big enough that he could enter where the hole led "whatever...but I wouldn't put it past him to not know that Adamantium is strongest only in it's purest form...I know that from mining the stuff most of my life" he said noting Kami's weird interests which he now knows include Metallurgy as he jumps down the hatch, although many Ghoul's had tunnels under their homes Kami wasn't everyone else and preferred to push the envelope.

"Feather drop" Tsujin uttered as a green aura came over him and he landed safely from a drop that would otherwise kill him as the dark magic here was beginning to make him woozy almost as much as the replay of events he got from his sense of smell "Bane Asakura, son of Kami...what a load of bullshit" he watched Bane's conversation with Kami during his torture as if he were there while it was happening "I knew you were evil but...this is unfathomable" his eyes widened at Bane showing little fear, if any, to Kami and his shadow manipulation was amazing to him as he'd never seen such a power in a Ghoul or anyone else before as he deduced "Kami really is a nightmarish person...to do things like this, so he's not only of NO relation to Tsume-chan but he both hates and is envious of the boy, I wish I were more surprised about that" he growled knowing he was right but wishing that he was somehow wrong "Everything I learned was a lie...and my brother's death was Kami's fault and plan to get that kid out of his own envy and jealousy?!" tears came to Tsujin's eyes as he was now downright crossed and jumped with so much power that he smashed his head on the ceiling of Kami's living room, surprising himself but not bothered much the thumping pain in his head "someone's gonna pay for this treachery...Reverse Spell" he used a spell that reversed any damage he did to the house and returned it to how it was when he'd arrived then left to the Prison to right his wrongs.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Yang Hiachi and Azazel make it safely into the Ghoul City, finding it empty which was out of the ordinary. Yang had calmed down but hasn't spoken word to Azazel...**

"We're here...what a quaint, gloomy place" Azazel looked around as Yang flinched at the words so slightly that it couldn't be noticed "It seems your friends have up and deserted this dump."

Yang started walking through town "No...that fucker's here with my woman and we're not leaving until I break my foot off in his ass. Kami isn't my friend either...he was my role model when he was a different person but that was then" Yang broke his silence shooting a glare at Azazel as they made their way to the very scarcely used prisons "...and we're not alone, Kami just must not have been aware of us coming and doesn't know we're here...yet."

"Don't you think you're being a bit...territorial about this?" Azazel asks as Yang simply looked at him and oddly, grinned with a dark side the Demon Lord has yet to see as he replied sharply "If Kami wants a beautiful woman, he'd best get in line or find his own because Hiachi Yang is NOT sharing...so yes, I am extremely goddamn territorial, just can't handle my possessions being messed with." he pointed at himself with his thumb as Azazel rolled his eyes, not caring for his love life "Yeah, about that...this Kami, he is stronger, faster, deadlier, by far crazier and smarter than you could ever hope to be right now and has your wife and child as leverage over you, while what do you have, hm?"

Yang couldn't argue as he knew the Demon Lord was correct much to both their displeasure "but when you're on top of the throne, there's always going to be an usurper to that throne" he smirked, his emotion neither good nor evil as Azazel nodded "deluded 'master' Kami thinks he's untouchable, he has other Ghouls in such a chokehold that they wouldn't dare even think of going against him...only Lebeau, his equal in almost every way, stands in his way for as long as I've known them both."

* * *

**Elsewhere in the Prison's deepest stronghold, where Yamamoto and Scar were locked up...Yamamoto was deeply hurt knowing he was helpless to just watch his friend in such pain as he was close friends with his sister as well and Ryuken was still in pain, although it had eased considerably, Yamamoto wasn't as proficient in healing magic as it was and the anti-magical properties of their cell wasn't helping Scar's mood at the moment.**

"H-how...how could he betray me like this?" Scar asked about Bane as he sat in a darkened corner as rage filled him again "watch your back from now on, Kurosaki, you've made a grave mistake pissing me off this time" his eyes darkened as he whispered with a sadistic smile that Yamamoto had never seen before as it almost mirrored Kami's "this won't go unpunished for you either, Bane"

Yamamoto glared at his master for those words "Don't talk like that, Salazar!" he snapped, clearly understand the man's pain better than anyone else "if Bane was truly Kami's child, he wouldn't attack him like that..." He thought of Bane fighting against Kami with his newfound skills before still being trampled by the former "I refuse to accept, or let you accept, the notion of Bane being anything like Kami. Get it together, you hear me?" He slapped Scar in the face to bring him to his senses as he nodded and shook his head to clear the evil thoughts he knew were still taunting him in his mind "You're right...sorry"

**Suddenly the two became deathly alert, they were no longer the only living Ghouls in the prison as a rather sour Tsujin passed by their cell like a bullet before noticing them as they spared the pleasantries.**

"Tsu...what is Kami's guard dog doing off it's leash?" Yamamoto said venomously as Tsujin, still agitated snapped as he kicked the barred door of the cell, showing a side of him the two were unfamiliar with "Look, I have no time for you two simpletons unless you can direct me to Kami's face so I can kick it to the moon...call me that monster's guard dog again, Yama-jii and this 'guard dog' will be picking it's fangs with your bones" the two men had wide eyes as Yamamoto grabbed the Ghoul be the collar and slammed his face against the cell _"Saki ni iki, sukoshi tawagoto wa, yama no JII anata no 1 ijō no ki no jikan o watashi ni denwa shimasu!" _(Go ahead, call me Yama-jii one more damn time, you little shit!) Yamamoto attempts to the impulsive Ghoul's face right through the cell's far-too-narrow bars as he further warned and Scar meditated harder despite his frustration _"Ue ni iku, watashi wa anata o DARE!" _(Go on, I DARE you!) Yamamoto warned as the rather suitable nickname was not to be tolerated in his current mood.

Scar's eyes widened as he moved with great speed and fluid grace even the best human fighters could never achieve "Enough, will you give it a rest already and if you're getting us out, do it already!" He snapped as he pushed Yamamoto into a wall and kicked Tsujin in the face to free him from the bars "no fighting or I'll kick both your asses to the moon myself"

Yamamoto relaxed "my apologies, Salazar-sama" as he glared at Tsujin who glared back, noting their fight was over...for now "I hear someone coming" as he heard someone approaching.

* * *

**Yang and Azazel had been all over the prison and found no one of enough capability or will power for that matter, to fight Kami...the last place they chose to search was the deepest area of the prison with the most still living inmates.**

Yang enters the area alone to see the three Ghouls, getting straight to the point rather than explaining why he's really there "Where is Bane?" hoping the renowned fighter, his friend and the Ghoul whose brother he killed could help him as their eyes widened as Azazel joined.

Ryuken's face stiffens with anger as he abruptly seals himself back in his cell as Yang got angry as well "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He raised his voice, he was known for having a foul temper but no one was dumb enough to truly test just how foul it was "I don't have time for this, WHERE IS BANE?!"

"Hmph" Ryuken said as he sat with his back turned, clearly meditating and ignoring Yang who was really trying to reign in his temper "I have nothing left to say to a traitorous loudmouth who left us to nearly die just so he could save his own worthless hide!" Ryuken said coldly "I will never trust you or Bane..."

"I could care less about if you trust me, tell me where to find Bane!" Yang was extremely impatient as Azazel rubbed his back "Calm down, Hiachi" he said with his usual witty and literal sarcasm as Yang trembled with anger and the four ghouls snapped their heads at Azazel "Butt out, Demon!" Tsujin snarled, not liking the intrusive Demon Lord as Yamamoto barred him from starting a fight with Azazel who grew deathly serious "Go ahead, make my day...pest" Azazel said with a smile and a evil look in his grey eyes.

"I-I'm sorry I betrayed you for Kami..." Yang said slowly entering the cell, hoping to be forgiven and not attacked by Ryuken who was looking at him darkly in a fighting stance "I thought he'd help me control myself...apparently he had no intention of doing that"

Ryuken was silent for a moment before lowering his stance and watching Yang like a hawk "I'll forgive you only if you answer this..." his eyes hardened "Who is Bane's real father?"

Yang's eyes widened in shock "Why would you ask something like that?" as Yamamoto added "We were told by Kami himself that Bane was _his _son and his last name was Kurosaki"

Yang was shaking at this point "Bane _is_ my son, he just was given his mother's last name over mine" as Azazel's curiosity piqued "By who's choice?"

"Mine..." Yang said a bit ashamed "Bane was born human and I distanced myself from him for it as well as his own safety...Kami forced me to make him a Ghoul, I'll never forget the way he looked at me that night" his voice broke.

"I believe you..." Ryuken said as he chuckled at Yang's expense "I never expected the coldhearted masochistic murderer Yang Hiachi was man enough to break down like this in my presence" Yang wiped his eyes, glaring weakly at his other role model, other than Kami "This is not going to end well, I'll have no reputation by the end of the night."

**His smile faded as everyone looked like they wanted to break something - namely Kami's skull - open and they went on a city wide hunt both for information and Kami himself. Elsewhere, a celebration was commencing kept by Kami Kurosaki who felt a bit of unease leaving Tsujin with Tsume though it quickly faded as many Ghouls were present to celebrate the return of Kami's 'son', Bane _Kurosaki._ He could loosen or tighten his mental hold on Bane at will now (having practiced) but was not expecting the unwarranted appearance of J'onn Lucario LeBeau, dressed finely as always with Tsume, less harmed than Kami would've liked and dress exquisitely as well. She gasped as she saw Kami's bright orange on black eyes staring at her and Bane at his side more like a son than an underling.**

The room was finely decorated with a live band, lightening the mood with soft Jazz...Kami's preferred choice though he rarely listened to music anyway and Ghouls frolicking around the large room, all with the flickering curiosity of what Kami had called them all here for and what it had to do with Bane.

Kami raised his hand, at one of the largest tables in the room, lowering the music "You're attention please" he said as all Ghouls, even the musicians, turned their attention to Kurosaki unless they wanted a more rude interruption "I have an announcement to make, as you all know, of my son's return home...Bane" he gestured to Bane who remained seated until Kami exerted a little pain on the Curse spell to force him to his feet without even a single Ghoul noticing as there were many mixed murmuring in the crowd.

Kami's smile faded, something wasn't right as a voice filled the room. Kami knew both the voice and spell used all too well as he used that spell when not seen as well as J'onn Lucario Lebeau replied _"aw, a party and you failed to invite me, Kami?"_ J'onn said ghostily _"and here I thought I'd be late because I'd lost my invitation...you know I like to congratulate people in person."_

"What invitation?" Kami asks, feeling like his anger was being forced out despite suppressing it and his resentment of the other Ghoul who was the only one to match his ferocity "You seem to fail to understand when you're NOT invited, LeBeau"

"Pray tell, Kurosaki" LeBeau said "you were always a bit slow but this is ridiculous, even by your standards, as you are a family member short, mon ami."

Kami noticed what he was talking about as Lebeau opened his beloved black trench coat to see Tsume step out "Tsume-chan" his arm raised, preventing Bane from moving past him as Tsume looked at her son "Bane..." before LeBeau's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

Kami sneered as Lebeau smirked, both not breaking eye contact "Why do you like things so hard, J'onn Luc?" Then cast his eye on Tsume "You have someone who belongs it me...so stop trying to show me up"

LeBeau laughed loudly at that "I'm 'showing you up' now, Kuro?" He shook his head before becoming dead serious again "Stop making me laugh, I put you where you are only to keep the peace and make sure we aren't found by those who wish to disturb that peace with our deaths as it's toll...not to wage war against Humanity which, by the way, doesn't need my intervention to see that you'd lose."

Kami glared venomously "So I am reduced to a mere peacekeeper to protect us from the very things we prey upon...don't be foolish, I plan to wipe humanity off the map and anyone else who stands in my way, even you" he felt a magical presence disappear as quickly as it came...something was up, something J'onn was keeping from him.

"Your job, Kuro, was to train newcomers in our ways...so they don't accidentally anger the Binge Eaters so they get themselves murdered unnecessarily!" LeBeau said in a disappointed but not angry tone as Kami gasped "Come to your senses and reverse what you did to Bane's psyche before even you regret it."

" Kuro...you haven't called me that since I was a child...too bad Kuro is no longer alive" Kami was surprised before continuing glaring at his former colleague and mentor "but you put me here to ensure our kind doesn't go extinct, that doesn't mean I've lost my free will...and forget the boy's freedom as it cannot be regained even if he regains his 'free will' and turns against me" Kami got into a fighting stance, as did J'onn as Bane walked forward, four tails sprouting from his back, at the base of his spine as he showed no emotion and the tails, with lives all their own, tried to hit even Kami who moved closer and used his Killer's Intent to stop them from harming him.

"Bring Tsume to me..." Kami said darkly as Bane was ready to do his bidding before readying himself for his former mentor's rage "Face me and face your end, J'onn Luc LeBeau." Lebeau obliged dashing past Bane and matching Kami's powerful punches and kicks with his own "Ha, are you sure it'll be my end and not yours, Kami, or have you forgotten what I did to you the last time you got ahead of yourself enough to threaten me so boldly?"

Kami snarled "How could I forget...I underestimated you that time though, this time is different, I will take this world down along with you!" Kami caught J'onn off guard and punched him in the stomach as the Ghoul froze, the room darkening as his eyes glowed and his voice sounded evil "Is that it?"

Kami took a step back in shock, looking into the soulless void of J'onn's darker side's eyes "Time for the student to learn his place and I'll take this whole damn city with _us_ if I have to!"

"The student has surpassed the master!" Kami was filled with rage as he burst into black flames and J'onn was less than amused, despite the sadistic grin plastered on his face as his body produced gale force winds "Amaterasu...how predictable, by now you should feel the side effects of using such a dark spell especially in my presence" J'onn waited as electricity danced around him and grew greater as it clashed with Kami's Amaterasu flames in a violent tug-of-war.

"Aah!" Kami pushed the spell beyond his limit as it also went beyond his control and began burning even him, all over his arms and torso as he cried out "No, I won't let this end like this!"

J'onn saw his opening as Amaterasu itself began to rebel against it's master...as the spell itself had no true master, causing a tear to run down J'onn's face "I wish I could've saved you from this fate...Raigekai" as a powerful burst of electricity burst from from his palms, the Lightning equivalent to Amaterasu, though unlike Fire and most Elemental Magic, it was equally as dangerous with less risk to the user other than a strong electromagnetic backlash dropping LeBeau to one knee as it hit Kami's shoulder as he attempted to do the nearly impossible and move out of the bolt's path, burning several holes in his already partially charred body. Kami's palm touched the ground, as spheres of water appeared near him, showing his very weak affinity and dislike of using Water based spells as most of his injuries were healed but he was still weakened. Kami suddenly looked up above him, closing one eye in suppressed pain "Well, what do we have here?"

Bane walked up to his mother with his hand out, he was crying as he whispered " Help me, mother..." but Tsume remained on the defensive replying with a nod "I will, if it's the last thing I do and I'm sorry, this happened because of my weakness and inability to stop Kami...Yang" she looked up, feeling a never before felt connection to her husband as Bane activated his incomplete Kagune, Shadou and charged with his four tails, still crying with a forced grin reminiscent to Kami.

Tsume, however was familiar with this Kagune as it was also the same as Yang's...she spied on him once when he went out and got a glimpse of it though it didn't last long before he caught on, as he always did, and began fighting himself for control so he doesn't harm her...that was when he confessed to her that he was a Ghoul, he loved her and she had a strange effect on him more powerful than magic, which she learned he knew as he created a crystal rose pendent for her out of thin air.

She evaded Bane's attacks as best she could as she attacked with her shadow only to learn that Bane not only inherited Yang's Ghoul powers but her Shadow Manipulation as well.

**Far in the sky, directly above where LeBeau and Kami as well as Tsume and Bane fought, Yang floated on a gust of wind as he grew eight tails and felt a bit of pride that his son was just like him as much as he was like his mother.**

_"Bein wa... Tsume, anata wa watashi wa anata no ryōhō de seichōshita ka hokori o sōzō suru koto wa dekimasen..." _(Bane...Tsume, you can't imagine how proud I've grown of you both...) Yang said to himself silently to himself as he shot through the air, straight down towards Kami "Die, Kami!"

Kami heard him however and managed to jump out of the way and stared as the smoke cleared revealing Yang "Well, if it isn't the complete failure...like my handiwork?" He turned their attention to Bane who turned to see Yang with more rage.

Yang was silent as he stared at his son, who seems to think he was the one who tortured him dashing at him. Kami intervened, grabbing Bane by the scruff and digging into his pocket "Yang...what on Earth are you doing here?" He frowned before smiling, as a sharp hiss said he'd found what he was looking for, a large, as venomous as it was scary, red on black centipede as Yang charged "Don't you dare!"

Kami kicked him back and pinned him to the ground "Oh, I dare...look closely" he grinned maniacally as he allowed the insect to enter Bane's ear before freeing him as he wailed attempting to stop the pain and remove it to no avail...his Kagune reacted almost immediately, turning into black appendages that resembled the legs of a centipede.

He attacked Yang, who dodged barely "so fast..." but was attacked again as Yang thought _'I was planning to use this against Kami and I don't want to fight Bane, but he isn't leaving me much choice here' _Yang stopped as Kami watched before sticking his thumb straight through his own heart and fell to the ground face first with pupil-less, black sclera eyes before Bane could attack him. Bane stopped as Kami growled "He seems not to have it in him to hurt you, finish him" Bane attempted to crush Yang's skull before the unthinkable happens and Yang is gone without a trace.

Yang reappears far from Kami but walking towards him, eyes still cold and black. Tsume, worried as hell, runs up to him and shakes him but he shows no response as he elbowed her in the face, knocking her back as Scar appears and catches her looking at the man and his hatred for him only growing as he snarled "Bakayaro!" Yang turned to him with a dark and different voice **"Do not interfere, Yang rarely ever willingly gives me full control anymore because of her, and I plan to enjoy every second of it!"**

Kami felt a strange sense from Yang, as did J'onn... both on a higher level than everyone else as Yang or the being now in possession of Yang's body looked at Kami with the purest malice and hatred that even Kami never knew the other Ghoul possessed as he went up to the motionless Ghoul "Is that you, Yang?" He asked, still not fully believing his eyes as the Ghoul snapped **"Now, I never said I _was_ ever Yang, now did I?"** the man chuckled very evilly, bowing to Kami mockingly** "after all, you're the one who brought me into being, Lord Dickface...call me Yin, that's what Yang calls me when we're on good terms before I kill you."**

Kami was shocked, at least personality wise Yin was the exact opposite to the man whose body he inhabited as he was cocky, too confident for Kami's taste, relentless, determined and the most twisted and self serving being Kami has ever crossed paths with, the exact and complete opposite to Yang's personality...Azazel watched with twisted pleasure as Yin charged Kami with a kick to the face which he managed to block.

**"You bore be, Kurosaki" **Yin said as he kicked Kami across the area and through a wall, but Kami rose to his feet, unhindered as he prepared another spell.

**Just then, Azazel teleports nearby and Kami looked at him. He didn't know Azazel, but the Demon Lord's reputation preceded him as the last Demon Lord anyone wants to anger or be tortured by, regardless of if he's the most powerful Demon Lord or not.**

"I wouldn't try that if I were you..." Azazel teleported nearby just as Kami was preparing another Forbidden spell as he turned to the Demon Lord who got the jump on him "you'll be in even less of a condition to fight him"

"So you're the weird Demon Lord...as much as your opinion means nothing to me" Kami said all too calmly "I can easily take even you in my current condition"

Suddenly he senses someone else "Tell me, Tsujin, how does it feel to betray me with the very man who killed your brother in cold blood?" Kami said as Tsujin appeared at his side "You didn't honestly think you could hide from me forever, did you?" He goaded the temperamental Ghoul as he could still take both him and Azazel and no longer was as interested in Yin.

"I want the truth" Tsujin said trying to pin Kami with his foot, who wasn't having it "Did nii-san go to his death on your word and has everything you taught me just been a lie?!"

"A lie...why would I lie about using the imp you call a brother?" Kami countered grabbing Tsujin's foot that was trying to pin him and pushing him off "I guess everything you've known was a lie and your brother, although he would and did give his life willingly for me, means less than nothing to me...I would've killed him myself if he hadn't proven to be such a stubborn one, care to do something about that or join him?"

Tsujin was about to snap as Kami continued "as for you, your usefulness has met it's end or you didn't think I knew the vengeful twin brother was working for LeBeau all along and would eventually face me regardless of the teme's demise or not!"

"Teme, you will join my brother you put on the other side!" Tsujin snapped "I'll eviscerate you for your crimes!"

"No, you won't, fool" Kami laughed "I won't have you having your way, after all, a good dog is a dead one" Kami continued to goad Tsujin, who seems to be bursting at his seems before Yin intervened.

**"You weaklings talk too much!"** he attacked, joined by Azazel as Kami, apparently faking his own weakness was really able to handle them both as he and Azazel attempted to murder each other.

"Bane, kill" Kami ordered as Bane got in his father's way and the two fought vigorously, neither willing to hold back

**"You will die, boy...why fight for that liar Kami?" **Yin asks a silent Bane **"You're not the one I wish to kill just yet though, so go back to sleep" **he beat Bane relentlessly until he was no longer even able to move but was still alive and conscious as he charged a charging Kami.

**A/N - Yang's evil self, Yin is determined to kill Kami and even Bane if he gets in his way but Kami seems to still have more up his sleeve. With Kami's confession about his brother's death, what does Tsujin plan to do to get revenge against the corruptive Elder Ghoul, Kami Kurosaki? Well see in the next chapter!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark**

**Chapter 14**

**Kami stood facing Azazel, having ran from an onslaught of rage from Yin but not allowed to leave the building which Yin put a secondary seal on, besides Kami's own which he was working on breaking mentally, as Yin suddenly reappeared behind him floating off the ground with a fierceness that was so unlike him to everyone but Kami.**

"Why run, I wonder?" Azazel asked as he stood above Kami on a broken pillar with his tail swishing as Kami scowled "watch that mouth, Demon...talking like that will only get you in trouble around here."

Azazel jumped down with a kick to Kami's face, which he dodged swiftly and attempted to grab the Demon Lord while dodging his pesky tail from taking his head off and at the last second Azazel teleported, leaving the Ghoul with nothing but sulphuric smoke "Is that the best you've got, Ghoul?" Kami scowled and threw his elbow back, without looking, and hit Azazel in the forehead mere seconds after he teleports behind him knocking him away "I guess it doesn't take much to become a Demon Lord then, if I can still predict you this easily...I bet I could even replace you and do a better job"

**He then turned to clash fists with both Yin and Tsujin who came with a flurry of angry blows before headbutting Yin in the face and while Tsujin was distracted, grabbing him and slamming him on the nearest wall like a ragdoll just because he could take it.**

He turned his attention to Lebeau just in time to see Bane, now freed from his influence, awakening "Lebeau, come meet you maker!"

With Tsume, Yamamoto and Bane...the young Ghoul awakens with a killer migraine that almost sent him back to unconsciousness

"Mother..." Bane attempted to regain a grasp of what was going on with the unignorably agonizing pain in his skull he was trying and failing to ignore as Yamamoto pinned him back down on the floor with his knee and pulled out a tong-like device in hopes of removing the deadly and numerous centipedes in his head as well as weighing the risk of what will happen to Bane both if he does and doesn't remove them "Stay down and zip it...whatever you do, DO NOT SCREAM." As he brought the device to Bane's ear and he grabbed his hand "Why?"

Tsume and Yamamoto looked at each other sadly, Bane knew the insects were in his head as he could feel them but not what would be his case if they're left unchecked, hoping it wasn't what he thought it was as Kami had done this to someone else very close to Yamamoto in the past, a member of his family/Clan, the Hatake Clansmen who like Lebeau held ties and members that were either fully human or fully a Ghoul like Yamamoto himself though he was originally human like Bane and is uncertain of how he became a Ghoul, not believing for a moment when Kami himself revealed him to be a blood born Ghoul and Ghoul Lord-to be...he didn't believe that the moment it left Kurosaki's mouth as he was known for his deceit and silver tongue at the time, a goddamn king among liars to Yamamoto "Stop moving unless you want me to knock you out, dumbass..." Yamamoto cursed as Tsume slapped him in the back of his neck, which stung like a bitch before he turned to her and snarled in her face "buzz off and let me concentrate, it was a joke, Tsundere!" as he began phishing the insects out but it proved useless as even touching them caused Bane tremendous pain although no permanent damage to his ear at all besides the 'do not touch' warnings.

**Bane looked up and straight at Kami, who although fighting Yin and Tsujin still turned slowly to look him straight in the eye as he tried and failed to avoid eye contact.**

Yamamoto shuddered as his hands suddenly fell to his sides as Tsume looked distraught as did J'onn who was sitting behind them without even their knowledge as Yamamoto began seething with anger knowing he could do nothing "you're wasting your time and effort, Yamamoto..." Kami sneered as Yamamoto's blinding rage only worsened faster than flipping a coin. He would've snapped and murdered anyone within arms reach of him but remembered his training for years under Salazar and how much loopholes his rage could really give someone as perceptive as Kami and so, he was silent and defeated "even if you do manage to remove the insects, which is a big if as even I cannot remove them now if I wanted to, Bane and I are now and always connected until one of us dies. He belongs to me now and forever, that isn't even all..."

"I promise you this, Kami Kurosaki" Yamamoto growled under his breath though Kami could still hear him though his eyes moved away in disinterest "I'll make you suffer for this and then some!" All Ghouls were able to torture others, but not all knew they could or could resist the urge when angered enough against someone they felt deserving of it. That and part of Yamamoto, who had been repeatedly insulted and shamed by Kurosaki in the past until he was suicidal for being a Ghoul that healed as opposed to a murderer although he knew himself he was a bit of both, he couldn't bring himself to get near an enraged greed-possessed Kami

Bane's eyes suddenly widen as did Kami's "What are you planning?" Bane asks as Kami replies "Wouldn't you love to know...though, you already somehow know, boy."

**J'onn and Scar looked at Bane, shell shocked as Bane nodded unwillingly.**

Kami turned to Bane, a dark energy radiating in his palm causing Bane's head to ache "Before you say something stupid, this is your own doing and not mine"

J'onn and Ryuken charged at Kami but his palms blazed, fortunately for Ryuken not with Amaterasu, as he swung wildly knocking Scar away with only a nick but J'onn was persistent as Kami switched to Amaterasu in his hands which clashed with J'onn's specialty energy based spells which were really part of his X-Gene mutations, easily overpowering but not killing his former master before knocking Tsume aside and casting a sad, apologetic look to J'onn "I wish you could see his face when I break him"

Kami pulled out a mask of a devil and puts it on, making Bane want to be extremely far from him, seeing what the Devil-masked Ghoul was capable of as both a Human and Ghoul or anything that walks or breathes murderer but not fully knowing or caring until now that it was Kami as he gestured to Bane and growled the order "come here, son!"

He grabbed Bane by the throat as he knocked others aside until only two remained, Tsume and J'onn.

Kami walked up with no fear "Stay back" Tsume yelled standing between Kami and what he seeks "out of my way!" He snapped as he pushed her aside only for J'onn to prove to be a bigger problem and a constant thorn in his boot.

"Stay back, Kurosaki" J'onn stood as Kami looked at Bane, smiling in the least evil way under his mask _"Naze, bein o sakerarenai o okurasemasu ka?"_ (Why delay the inevitable, Bane?)

**He dashed past everyone and made a beeline for the young Ghoul with a great amount of Amaterasu focused into a small point in his palm but as he was about to strike him, Bane's eyes went wide as someone cast a shadow over him and he saw a Kagune similar to his own fading away as Yang took the attack for his son.**

Kami was still smiling in a good way as he saw his former student protect the boy, Yang looked at him and noticed it before succumbing to immense pain "Yang...I can't ask for your forgiveness, but this is what I have to do and no one will stand in my way...not...even...you, my prodigal student." He said as Yang's eyes widened "Kami...is this what you've thought of me all along?"

**Kami only nodded and replaced his mask on his face as he rammed his arm through Yang's stomach and made sure Bane was watching before grabbing Bane and disintegrating into flames before Yang's body hit the ground without a sound.**

"No!" J'onn yelled but he had seen Kami do this one time too many and was highly enraged by it as Tsume, stunned and speechless, stayed by her now unconscious husband's side as he woke up and caressed her face weakly "T-Tsume..." but she shut him up "Don't talk...you're hurt."

Yang laughed, growing weaker as tears came to his eyes "If I were human, but I'm not human...I'm sorry for not telling you I was a Ghoul and mistreating our son-" Yang passed out as Tsume broke down crying into his chest, all his bodily functions had stopped including his heart and brain but he was smiling.

**J'onn was frozen in place, Azazel was unconscious, Yang was probably dead by now and everyone else was hopeless and helpless while J'onn was officially pissed off as he growled and made for the exit showing a side that no one knew or wanted to test but took Azazel's body with him.**

* * *

**Several days later, Yang was in a room at Yamamoto's and Ryuken's shared three story home not having woken since they last saw either Kami or Bane...Tsume had slept with him, refusing to leave his side as Yamamoto did his best every once in a while to heal him...he still fails to understand what Kami does to his opponents that make them hard to heal as the others were downstairs.**

Downstairs, Yamamoto (while not healing Yang) and Ryuken were discussing what to do next, what J'onn is up to, what Kami is planning and what it all has to do with Bane and Azazel. All while keeping Tsujin from doing any further harm to Yang's body.

"Come on..." Tsujin was not calm being in the same room as killers this much "just one punch" he made his way to Yang's room for the hundredth time as Yamamoto glared up at him from his tome "So much for revenge...did you not already forgive him for your nii-san's death, Tsujin-san?"

"Yes, but I said nothing about payback" Tsujin made it upstairs to Yang's bedroom and opened the door to find Scar inside giving him a look that made him shudder "Tsujin, get out of here NOW" Scar was trying to console Tsume who hadn't left the man's side since and coax her into eating some food, which he had in fresh quantity and never use with all Ghoul's inability to digest regular human food.

"I won't allow him to live with what he's done" Tsujin argues as he tries to make his way to Yang's bed, which Ryuken won't allow him to do "What would you do if Kami was on that bed and your sister had died at his hand?!"

Scar was petrified with cold anger as Tsujin made his way past him "...I thought so" as Scar twitched.

**Yamamoto heard the argument from downstairs but refused to get involved knowing that although Tsujin had a valid point and everyone who were close to either of the Salazar siblings knew how close they were, they knew better than to use it to spark an argument with Ryuken or rile him up unless they fancied eating through a straw from then on...after the savage beating Ryuken would give them before being calmed or held back from killing them.**

Tsume now stood between her husband Hiachi and Tsujin with a look in her eye that she only got when people tried to screw with her or her family, Yang's over-protectiveness had rubbed off on her and with the little training Salazar gave her concerning what little he knew of shadowbending, an ability that Tsume doesn't even have but some Ghouls including J'onn, Kami prior to losing his soul and himself has to mimic controlling shadows as she demonstrates her new, more refined Shadow abilities as a shadow tried to chop the Ghoul to pieces but he knew Bane's shadow's were inherited from her as he dodged and got close to her "Don't touch my husband or-" she was cut off by Tsujin grabbing her throat and lifting her off the ground squeezing tighter every second "or you'll what?" The physically shorter than her Ghoul snarled lowly in annoyance

This sparked a connection stronger than any magic within Tsume and Yang, waking him in a terrible mood as he heard everything, he was unconscious but not deaf, as he broke a piece of glass like it was a cookie and put it at Tsujin's throat with such blinding speed that no one saw him move as he pushed the Ghoul off and shook his head with an intimidating look of barely suppressed rage in his red eyes _"... Anata wa... Tatchi-dzume o aete shinaide kudasai"_ (Don't...you...dare touch Tsume) he put the glass blade at his throat as he assured Tsume silently that he would never again let harm come to her as Tsujin cracked his knuckles as Yang's eyes narrowed dangerously _"Anata ga nozomu yō ni, watashi wa anata ga ga watashi no otōto no shi de no yakuwari no tame ni shiharau yō ni narimasu"_ (As you wish, I will make you pay for your role in my brother's death though) he charged at Yang, who looked as he'd seen better days.

**Downstairs, Yamamoto began a ten count for how long it would take for either Ryuken or Yang to beat Tsujin to a softened pulp.**

_"Jū, kyū, hachi, nana, roku..."_ (Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six...) Yamamoto Hatake began his countdown _"Go, shi, san, ni, ichi..."_ (Five, Four, Three, Two, One)

He looked down at Tsujin who was punched right out of the room on the second floor by Yang before the Ghoul stood over him "He's changed somehow...I like it" Yamamoto assessed immediately once their eyes met for the short glace Yang gave him as Yang with his Kyū-Tanken/Ten Daggers of his tails were aimed to kill Tsujin as he frowned "You wouldn't kill me..."

Yang smiled at him evilly "Care to test that?" He said "My feud isn't with you and no one can feel worse about your brother's death, but he allied with Kami which makes him an idiot in my book...where's Kami and Bane?"

"Don't you remember, although you sacrificed yourself for your son, Kami still took him and almost killed you" Yamamoto supplied "We haven't seen him, Bane, the Demon Lord or Lebeau since." He glared again at the Ghoul at his feet "unless you want me to scrub the pavement with both your faces, don't fight in my home again and I could give a monkey's ass about you or your teme brother, get off the floor. He's dead, so get the fuck over it already!"

Yang went to the door with a frown before looking at the three Ghouls and his wife "I don't need this, I'm out of here" as Tsujin added "Kami's own men can't even find him, though he's still in the city somewhere, what chance do you have?"

**Yang was shaking as he knew Tsujin was right as he knew how Kami's entourage worked better than anyone but Yang himself, causing the Ghoul to begrudgedly stay with an almost permanent scowl.**

"Fine" Yang grunts "I will stay...but you" he looked at Tsujin with a crazed look in his widened eyes "Stay away from Tsume, stay away from me and stay OUT of my room unless Kami is found or this house is on fire unless you want a mass killing spree to take place here, got it?!" Tsujin shook, never knowing just how intimidating an angry Yang was as he found himself unable to break eye contact with the cranky Ghoul as he walked away, having made his threat very clear.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Kami had made it to an old oil refinery with Bane, and was growing weary of waiting as he wished to transfer Bane's heart and soul into his body, or if that failed Kami would just transfer his own mind into Bane's body and use his stronger consciousness take his over. Both took time Kami didn't want to waste with J'onn still out there and Azazel with him. The Demon Lord was too smart for his tastes where Ghouls were concerned.**

Kami appeared in a forested area in a burst of flame and was kneeling with Bane over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He was deep enough in the forest that no Ghoul with common sense would venture far enough to find him as he was in Human territory and his very enemy would kill them for him, only to fall prey to Kami himself, though the last forbidden spell he used on Bane has had some...unexpected and unforseen results as they have some parts of each other's natures. NOT what Kurosaki had in mind as the more evil Bane became, the more Kami seemed to become his old self again.

"You are worth more trouble than you realize..." Kami muttered tossing Bane onto a metal table, easily denting it as he raised an eyebrow "wake up, Bane" as a voice in his head reprimanded him with a migraine, it was Bane's voice whispering scoldingly 'don't be so rude' but he quickly shook it off.

Kami tried to keep his calm and distance for Bane's sake but found himself grabbing Bane's head with a sad look "Why do I have to make you do everything?" He slammed his face on the table full force until he felt him move as he warned the now awake, bloodied Bane that as a Ghoul, he could take punishments that would otherwise kill a human and most other beings "Do as you're told and don't test my patience" he pointed at the table he used Bane's head to dent "things will be more...pleasurable for us both, I assure you"

He stepped back as Bane dropped to the floor.

**Bane woke up, noting that he was no longer in the Ghoul City... wherever here was, his head was bleeding and he was with the Demon masked Kami who was creepily silent with one hand behind his back.**

"Bread?" Kami offered showing he had a piece of bread behind his back "you seem...peckish"

But Bane declined the offer swatting the bread from the Elder Ghoul's hand "cut the crap, Kurosaki, what is this place?"

But this was another side of Kami he'd yet to see "What crap, I'm only offering you food" as Bane scowled and they looked at the bread and Kami smiled darkly, which was normal for him weather he was good or evil "You think you really understand the type of person I am?"

"Monsters only have one face" Bane growled warningly as Kami's eye turned to him but gave one agreeing nod "That they do...that's why I will give you a few choices, care to hear me out?" He touched Bane's face far too gently for his own safety, startling him as he closed the distance between them in seconds.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Azazel has woken up in a strange place...something he thought was a routine in a city that literally never sleeps, by normal means and circumstances anyway as his savior nowhere to be found.**

"Where am I?" Azazel asked himself as he rose and found himself alone in a small house that looked like a F5 Hurricane had happened indoors as his wounds were either fully healed or healed enough not hinder him but he felt someone watching him "Yang, is that you?"

* * *

_No answer..._

* * *

**He went and opened the door, only to find J'onn standing behind it, wearing a Dragon mask and an all black suit and Azazel also saw that he had tears dripping from his chin**

"Finally awake?" He raised his hand as a gust that Azazel was sure could easily obliterate the house was generated pushing Azazel and slamming him against the wall as Azazel looked at him knowingly "J'onn...or should I say the Wingless Dragon, we're a bit far from China for such orientals, don't you think?" He had a daring look in his eye, daring the Ghoul to try to really pissing him off "You are not even J'onn Lucario Lebeau anymore, I take it and he is fairly uncertain of your existence."

Wingless Dragon smiled evilly, face still cold with distrust for the rude Demon Lord "you can say that...J'onn knows nothing of me in his own body but since you got here, he's been becoming more mindful and I can't allow that to go on" as a crimson energy appeared in his palm "If you know who I am then you should know what happens if I so much as touch you, right?" Azazel wasn't dumb, he knew that the slightest touch from the Ghoul Lord, although it can reduce a mere mortal to dust could still very seriously hurt him and was mind numbingly painful.

Azazel grabbed his bed and swung it at the Ghoul with a superhuman strength that didn't fit his normally fit humanoid form as he only stopped it with one arm, a red energy absorbed into his body upon impact before he growled "Goodbye, Demon Lord" and brought his hands close together as red energy forms a sphere which he shot right at Azazel, seemingly hitting him but he turned to leave only for Azazel to stand in his way yet again and attempted to choke him with his tail only for Wingless Dragon to remove his mask only long enough to chomp Azazel's tail as he screamed, his tail was a weakness he'd overcome long ago but he's never had it bitten before even with the Demon's natural immunity to the virus that make the Ghouls what they are as it was developed by Demons in the first place under the watch of the Demon Lords.

"You will lure Kuro to me" Wingless Dragon explained as Azazel snapped "Kuro...you want that other Ghoul, Kami but I refuse until you come to your senses"

"Refuse?" Wingless Dragon's eyes widened "you're acting like you're given a choice in the matter"

"You're half-mutant..." Azazel said thoughtfully "a powerful one at that even for a half blood, but I've figure out the power you've been hiding even from yourself...you're not only a powerful empath but have the power to manipulate kinetic energy at will, this should be fun" he smiled evilly.

"No matter..." Wingless Dragon snarled "either you lure Kuro to me or be used as bait...one way or another, you WILL lure Kami Kurosaki to me"

"What are you, a half-mutant AND an idiot?" Azazel said growing a bit serious which was scarier than his sometimes uncalled for and dark witty sarcasm "when I say no, I mean no...you're stupid enough to think I will simply bow to your whims?"

* * *

**Back with Kami and Bane were becoming one with the very parts of each other they despised. This gave them an innate understanding of how the other's mind worked though, which was horror for Bane but quite a bit of insight for Kami.**

"Kurosaki!" Bane felt a never before felt burst of anger as he came within inches of hitting Kami, only to miss as he tried to calm him the only way he knew, punching him in the gut "please...call me Kuro and I have not brought you here for a fight" only for him to be physically held by Bane's shadows as Kami looked at him with little to no malice in his eyes "How interesting...I have never met another Ghoul in my life with the power to manipulate one's shadows" he then broke himself free as Bane lost his focus and thus his hold on Kami as Bane thought back to his confrontation with J'onn 'wait...that was the name J'onn called him and he said that side of him no longer existed, so why is he now insisting I call him that then?' He thought as Kami noticed his confusion as he held his head and groaned, urging Bane to stay back "Stay back, I-I can't control it for long before my dark side takes over!"

"I'm leaving" Bane said with no interest in helping Kami as he said "wait, I'll bring one of them here as proof...one for you to eat"

Bane stopped in his tracks, not liking how he used the word 'eat' "he will watch to see which of us wins and the winner gets...well you get it." As Bane's jaw dropped and Kami leaves while he stays, thinking of the Ghoul's words.

* * *

**Elsewhere, a Government funded Anti-Ghoul group called the GEC (Ghoul Eradication Corps) had cornered a Ghoul they caught feasting on one of their men...the leader, Nobunaga 'Naga' Uchino was among the most ruthless humans a Ghoul had been ill-fated to cross paths with as he readied his spear, artificially made, like all their weapons, based on the anatomy of Ghouls to absorb ambient RZ cells to use against Ghouls.**

"Fan out and find it" Naga ordered the men far too calmly for even the men's tastes, though none of them would say it as he was in a nasty mood whenever he caught a lone, foolish Ghoul's hunt to them being his prey "don't fight it or do anything stupid, just lure it to me" as the men nodded "Hai"

One stayed with him, much to his irritability "Uh, sir?" The younger blonde, green eyed man asked as Nobu grunted "Hm?" His brown eyes scanning his surroundings.

"Well, aren't you afraid...this thing could tear flesh from bone easily and we seem to have too many men just to deal with one" he was scared both of the Ghoul who could be anywhere and Uchino who turned to look at him, never smiling.

"Don't I look afraid, kid?" Nobu countered as the man shook his head uncertainly "I'm afraid every day I fight these things but be ready...soon enough, we won't be dealing with just one"

The young man chuckled halfheartedly "you, sir, are afraid?" He shook his head "you look like you could take ten Ghouls by yourself"

Nobu smirked "My only reason for living is to kill the Ghoul that made me watch him slaughter my wife and child...at his leisure"

The younger man pales as Nobu's darker brown eyes looked at him like a lion protecting it's cubs "Wow, I thought you were so serious because you just hated your job"

"Nobunaga-san, we got him!" A man called in the distance cornering a young Ghoul, only a few years older than Bane, who looked at him angrily with sharp, talon like fingernails and snarling mouth dripping fresh blood.

**He'd bitten another two of the armored men, in sensitive parts of the dark blue/black suits made of a non-metal material even Ghouls can't easily bite their way through as they've proven to be able to bite through most hard metals as Nobu beelined for the screaming men and the swearing, biting Ghoul.**

"Just call me Nobu, for Christ's sake" he growled annoyed, clearly scarier to the men than any Ghoul as the Ghoul, who refuses to reveal his name to the humans looked at him.

"Will you tell me your name...or do I have to call you 'bitey'?" Nobu came up to the Ghoul who looked at him as if he was insane, which none of the experienced men on his team were particularly experienced with before the Ghoul sensed something the humans couldn't was coming straight their way as he laughed _"Orokana ningen wa, anata wa jūdaina misu o okashita watashi o koko ni tsugimashita"_ (Foolish humans, you've made a grave mistake following me here) he laughed before dodging to the side from a spear to the face as he glared at the black bladed Glaive in poorly hidden disgust as it turned into a Ghoul's Kagune which only hardened to a larger blade and swung at the Ghoul, narrowly missing but leaving a large gash in his shoulder...it didn't help Ghouls that it was anti-magical either but it does cause agonizing pain, if overused and the humans to have a bloodlust almost as terrifying as a Ghoul's as well as exactly half the strength and speed of a Ghoul Lord (like Kami or J'onn) to take almost any Ghoul on.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Kami's search for something/one for Bane to eat was less than fruitful...that was until he smelled another Ghoul nearby with a total of ten humans, the typical number in the Ghoul Hunters of the GEC as he stayed hidden and watched. He personally disliked human because they tend to bully and overwhelm lone Ghouls, like this retard, with sheer numbers but he watched his favorite human for now and waited as he had no interest in if the young Ghoul would even eat this other Ghoul or not.**

'Well, what do we have here, an all grown up little Nobunaga with that still ever-present resentment of Ghouls...' Kami thought of how he mangled the man's parents before his eyes and left him to live with his festering hatred of all Ghouls 'He'll do good as a snack for Bane'

The Ghoul's eyes widened as he felt Kami's eyes boring into his entire body before even knowing the Ghoul Lord's location _"Anata no jikan ga nakunatta yō ni, watashi wa hotondo mochiron, watashi wa anata no satsujin-sha ni dōjō shinai, matte... Anata no tame ni kinodoku ni miemasu"_ (Looks like your time has run out, I almost feel sorry for you...wait, of course I don't feel sorry for you murderers)

"Greetings, G...E...C lapdogs" Kami's voice came from a tree behind the men as they turned and fired their guns immediately but his body turned to crows and flew around them before appearing as Kami again beside the Ghoul "You dare come here after one of my brothers, do you have death wishes?" Kami put his arm around the Ghoul's shoulder casually before he dropped to his knees bowing in respect "Thank you, milord Kami-sama"

Kami was not in the mood for him very much though as all he wanted was him to shut up and a hard backhand to shatter his nose did wonders for it as Kami glared at him "You're next with all the thanks you're givin' me, I'll deal with you once I have my human for Bane"

"Oy, Nobunaga!" Kami called out, not having seen the human since he forced him to watch as he devoured his parents as a boy...seriously fucking up his psyche "I thought you were dead by now, old friend...seems fate meant for us to meet again, not that I wasn't watching ya to make sure no one kills you but me but your parents miss you on the other side!" Kami grinned at the look of horror and anger on Nobu's face as he snarled "This is the thing that murdered my parents, men...bring him to me alive but NOT in one peace" Nobu ordered before glaring into Kami's eyes "and you...don't you dare talk about my parents!"

**The men attacked as Kami repelled them with his Fire magic although knowing all too well that they all were fire proof and fairly magic resistant due to their bluish black suits.**

"Nice tin suits...you'll have to kill me if you have any intention of capturing me" Kami pinned one of the men under his boot "otherwise you're all dead, I'll crack you all open like juicy Oysters"

The men, although brave, smart and strong were still not enough to be able to take Kami as he snapped when one of the humans hit him in the face with a whole gun, which was destroyed leaving a deep cut on the side of his forehead as Kami's glare turned dead serious "Ya know, I don't take kindly to being referred to as a 'thing'...I will make you all burn to nothingness for this disrespect!" Kami fell to his knees silently asking J'onn for forgiveness quiet enough that humans couldn't hear him if they tried "Forgive me...Master Lebeau" as his flames drew in a ring around him alternating between normal flames and the black Amaterasu flames as the men were reduced to charred heaps...all but Nobu and one other, who refused to get anywhere near the Ghoul.

"Thank you, master" the other Ghoul tries to hug Kami who froze him with a glare "run away now, whelp" he slapped the Ghoul away and readied his flames to fry him to a crisp when he was attacked from behind by Nobu and he jumped on Kami's shoulder and bit him in the neck...

"Baka...you intend to protect something that was about to kill you from something that is going to surely kill you?" Kami asks warningly as Nobu was shaking with a mixture of fear (which he won't admit is there) and pure rage that he's finally face to face with the devourer of his family as he snapped "It's him...he-he's the one!"

"What?" one of the other men asked, confused as the rage on Nobunaga's face said it all as he replied teary eyed "He's the freak that murdered my wife and child!"

All the living Ghoul Hunters' faces went pale and blank, having heard the story in full detail of the slaughter of Nobu's family as Kami grinned "aw, I'm flattered...you told them of how I tore your slut of a wife's body limb from limb as I used your child as a toothpick and why would you bite me?" Kami proudly confirmed that he did tear Nobu's family limb from limb as he has no mercy for humans, even children especially if they did him wrong or he just hated them and he did hate Nobunaga...he just loved hurting him so much more that he couldn't kill him.

"Care for a...demonstration of what happed that Holloween night?" Kami said as he urged the remaining human with Nobu to come to him against his will and remove his suit revealing civilian clothes underneath as the man presented his neck to Kami, also against his will as Nobu cringed visibly before Kami even did anything as the Ghoul Lord bit down on the man's neck and shoulder several time hard with his eyes on Nobu the entire time, even held him off the ground in his jaws before throwing him to Nobu's feet as Nobu's terror filled scream filled the forest for every Ghoul and Human to hear for miles before Kami dragged his terrified human away. The shuddering young man he bit still alive screams as Kami glances at him, almost tempted to finish him but gave an echoing dark chuckle and left him be instead as he has what he wants "Live on, boy as I'll be back for you soon enough."

* * *

**Elsewhere, Yang, Tsujin, Ryuken and Yamamoto were at the edge of the forest or specifically above it, thanks to the powerful winds Yang created...heading straight to where the scream came from once they heard it.**

"Did you hear that?" Yang asked hearing the most subtle scream which was quickly silenced then and equally as subtle and quick chuckle as he began wondering if he was going out of his mind as Tsujin stared at him with malice still in his eyes from their previous argument but shook his head wordlessly as his demeanor said 'no, you brainless teme' which caused Ryuken to glare at the two "I'm not going to warn you two imbeciles about fighting again...no, I heard nothing. Yamamoto?"

"I heard nothing either" his eyes glaring at Yang's back intently since they've gotten airborne "The Yang family or clan were once known as the Windriders for their mastery of Wind Magics as well as even some airbending forms that you've unknowingly incorporated into your martial arts style, your foreparents must be proud...or bored and desperate"

"I've never cared if there were others like me, as long as they left me alone" Yang replied stoically as the dead people came into view "there they are..."

Landing, the group were actually surprised and a bit excited by the little killing spree as Yang's persona switched with Yin's, putting the other three on alert.

"Kami was here...having fun" Yin said, smiling sadistically as he loosened his scarf on his neck "Bane wasn't here, though he could've called me over if he was going all out like this" Yin inwardly ate his words, figuring Kami was too much of a sadist to want to share his bloodshed with him, of all people.

"This is getting me exhilerated" Yamamoto said darkly as he cracked his neck and felt someone flinch at the sound of his popping bones and turned to see a human, the one Kami bit, was still alive at the feet of the very alive with slapped in nose and smacked out teeth Ghoul who was still crying over spilled milk as Yamamoto growled walking towards them as they tried to move away "well, look what I found..."

"Kami's going to save me" the Ghoul said weakly laying on his side as Yin lifted him and gave him a cold stare "You think if he was going to 'save you', he'd leave you here to die?" He narrowed his eyes "you're as good as dead, he'll be back to finish the job of taking you life if anything else and torturing this poor guy" Yin's eye shifted making eye contact with the victim for a moment

Tsujin looked at the other man, examining his obvious bite wound as he looked back at the Ghoul, terrified as he stared slowly at Yamamoto then Ryuken, whose eyes he avoided looking at before locking eyes with Yin with a sneer "I wish I could be there to see Lord Kurosaki force that human down the gaki's throat!"

Yin was still for a moment just looking at this fool before his eye widened in anger "Fuck this...we need to have a talk, you and I, big mouth." He grabbed him and slammed him against a tree, denting the trunk and he even caught the trunk with one hand as it was about to fall on him and threw it aside "I haven't gotten a straight answer since I got here but I hope you can help me...for your sake that is." Yin said as the Ghoul's answer was to spit blood at his feet, a huge disrespect as he replied "I don't answer to trash"

"Where is Kami?!" Yin barked angrily choking the Ghoul until he tapped his arm, fully realizing but not accepting that if Yin didn't kill him first then Tsujin, Yamamoto or Ryuken most definitely would and if not them, Kami would if he decides that coming back here for him is worth his time "You'll answer this trash if you like your head where it is...along with the rest of you"

"Fine...as long as the noob gets all these dead humans" The Ghoul saw no choice as he pointed past Yin who looked at the suddenly hungry eyed former human and nodded with a small knowing smile "Go far enough east that you're far enough from Ghoul and Human alike or until you see a cottage built for one and there you'll find Kurosaki"

"How far..." Yin scowled as the man scowled as if he asked a stupid question.

"How the fuck would I know!" The Ghoul snapped "All I know is he only goes that way when he doesn't wish for himself or someone else to be found...I don't know how far or where specifically but whoever he goes there with, he doesn't return with as he might eat them or even leave them for those persistent Humans to find, if they're lucky enough to ever see the light of day again"

"I presume you're speaking of the crypt?" Scar said knowingly as Yin looks at him distrusting of how he knows of this but the look in his golden eyes were enough to say it was no paradise for Ghouls and for Yin not to push his luck by asking.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Bane was still waiting for Kami, who was taking his sweet time coming so he had free reign of the cottage until the Elder Ghoul's return.**

Bane hadn't moved from the spot where Kami had left him for hours now as a spark of flame demanded his attention, when he looked around he saw Kami had a small study despite the building being way too small to hold a study...Kami had used a very common and wisely used spell learned from a German Ghoul that wasn't a Ghoul Lord as he despised Germany's Ghoul Lord to pack a lot into a small space. There was a list on the wall "What's this?"

It was a note left by Kami the day he became a Ghoul Lord and learned that he wasn't the only one, it said...

_Kurosaki Kami, the Ghoul Lord and student of fellow Ghoul Lord J'onn Lucario Lebeau...a rank that should be worn proudly as one of the most powerful Ghouls on Earth though with great caution as you will be the target of many physical and psychological attacks not only from your master and fellow Ghoul Lords but also by those who look up and worship you to test if you are truly worthy..._

**Those were the words printed in a fine handwriting and bright golden ink that almost made it seem like it was just written.**

* * *

**Now Bane went over to the Tome that was demanding his attention on a side table with three other tomes.**

"Maybe I could find a spell here to counter Kami's favored Amaterasu..." Bane touched the bright red orange cover and orange gemstone in the centre of the Fire tome as the Kami in his head growled 'Not that one...' silently as he found himself unwillingly reaching for an obsidian navy tome with a black gemstone in the centre but he grabbed two tomes accidentally first...Fire, to hopefully learn Amaterasu's weakness if there was such a thing and Ice, Light and Wind tomes due to his curiosity which were Silver (Ice), White (Light) and Green (Wind) respectively and immediately began reading and practicing as he saw a bookmark with a Dragon on it and Lebeau's last name in hopes that when Kami returned them to the Librarian, he could get Bane to continue learning the magics that thrilled him, assuming he lives long enough after what he has in mind now.

**Several hours and Bane had mastered only the basics in the Magics he chose from Kami's study even the Darkness Tome as he didn't have the willpower to resist it's dark allure, but by this time Kami had returned with Nobu as Bane came out of the study.**

"Boy, get out here..." Kami said as Bane came out to the strange new scent with his new heightened senses and scowled at Kami "What do you intend to get by kidnapping me?"

Kami waved his finger "I intend to feast on a Demon Lord and you will help me to do so as I plan to share my feast with you" Kami noticed that Bane was looking at the weakened human prey in his grasp.

"Ah, before I forget..." He tossed Nobu to the ground a few feet from Bane "I brought you lunch..."

The human seemed to be what was smelling so good since Kami's return as Bane stepped back and shook "I-I can't just eat another person like that!"

"Oy, Ghoul's tongues are made up differently from human tongues" Kami stuck his large tongue out to prove his point "We're very highly allergic to their food...but not to them, you had no problem with it at my banquet, why now?"

"The food I ate there was actually...?" Bane whispered as Kami glared at him and finished "Human flesh, yes although that was cooked...you can eat this one raw" he kicked Nobu closer to Bane as he groaned and laid on his stomach. His eye opened startling Bane who snarled at Kami "I won't eat him!" But his stomach protested angrily and painfully.

Kami sighed as a demonic grin slowly appeared on his face "Fight me then...entertain the human, if I lose you leave and make up your own mind if you eat him or starve on your own" flames began coming from Kami's body as the room felt much hotter.

"And if I lose...?" Bane asks as their Kakugans activated on their own "You will never see the sun or moon again" he said unjoking and very truthfully.

**Kami laughed as he did what Bane least expected and used Amaterasu right off the bat as the flames charged at him.**

**Bane thought fast, using a spell that seemed related to Kami's though possibly more forbidden, Tsukuyomi which produced red flames that not only absorbed Amaterasu's flames but knocked both Ghouls back as Nobu looked on in shock and awe.**

Kami rose to his feet and growled making his way to Bane who was slammed directly into a wall but was somewhat protected by ice crystals growing from his body.

Kami readied a flame to end Bane's life but found that he was still able to use his Amaterasu much stronger now "What did you do to acquire that flame?!" Kami demanded as he nearly stomped Bane's skull.

"I'm not...sure but I'm out of here" Bane declared as Kami snapped "Like hell you are" as he began using Dark element Magic.

_"Yami o ukeiremasu"_ (Embrace the darkness) as a black smoke shot from his hand and went right through Bane's chest.

**Kami just sneered as, to Bane, it seems as if Kami's spell did nothing as he rose to his feet, a bit dizzy and wobbly on his feet but knew how to get back at the vengeful Ghoul, raising his hand to Nobunaga just as he was about to be torn to ribbons by Kami, who was fast but not faster than Bane's shadow which took possession of Nobu's body and made him toss himself out of the nearest window in order for him to escape being torn to ribbons.**

Nobunaga ran like hell to get out of there but stopped a distance away, looking back to see that Bane would suffer Kami's full wrath but respecting the Ghoul that was meant to kill him but saved him instead "that Ghoul kid...whatever he did, he saved me but why?" He vowed to meet and repay the Ghoul one day as he remembered Kami calling him 'Bane' as he went back to where he was when Kami abducted him.

* * *

**Back with Kami, Bane was losing consciousness after the beating Kami has been putting on him due to the ineffectiveness of his Amaterasu now.**

Kami was extremely pissed and Bane could barely protect himself from a flurry of punches and kicks from the Ghoul who moved like a blur. Kami then kicked Bane hard into a hard wooden door, surprisingly not sending him through it as Bane received one last punch to the face before being pulled under by whatever spell Kami used earlier "sleep tight and don't wake up" were the last words he heard before hearing nothing and seeing only darkness and Kami already knew how long he needed to wait now before getting the answer of if Bane will let his dark side take control of him or not as Bane's eyes went blank with a red glow, remaining wide open as his body showed signs that he was still alive but helpless and at Kami's mercy.

Kami went to an empty wall and placed his palm against it as a secret doorway to a small though infinite pocket dimension called the Crypt and tossed Bane in before permanently sealing any and all exits to it. Not that there were much to begin with.

**There was a knock on the door before a furious Yang burst in and confronts his old mentor with Tsujin, Yamamoto and Ryuken who happened to see the gateway to the Crypt moments before it disappeared.**

"So, my hunch was right...there is no return from a place like the Crypt" Ryuken said hopelessly as Tsujin rolled his eyes "Well, there goes encouragement...how do you know so much 'bout this Crypt place anyway?"

Yamamoto looked at Scar understanding everything without him saying a word by the absence of life in his eyes that he had personal experience with this Crypt that scarred him emotionally even though he was the only one to ever escape it alive "You've been there, haven't you?" He confirmed more than asked.

Scar nodded "it's a place that can make anyone feel fear in it's purest form, even a Ghoul, I spent three whole years in that place alone wandering endlessly for what felt like forever, no hunger, no nothing...and rumor has it, it's one of the origin places of evil"

"You're gonna give me nightmares about this and I don't even sleep...Hell sounds like a paradise to this" Yang grumbled as he realized something "I bet Bane isn't the only one there, with the loss of your sibling either...Ryuken" he lunged at Kami as Tsujin thought of if Kami faked his brother's death too, even if Yang did the deed and Ryuken looked extra murderous and silent as he kept constant watch over Yang.

* * *

**Kami took on the Ghouls, meanwhile within the Crypt, a mini interdimensional-prison that Kami had gained unwarranted access to by threatening the rightful owners, the Kurosaki Clan and his relatives only by name. With him was a girl with long, black hair nearly reaching her ankles which she hated a bit as well as the unmistakable and remarkably beautiful golden eyes that, like her elder brother, distinguished her as a member of the Ryu Clan, the same clan the Salazar family originates from and her older brother was said to be named for, another was there also...Yuuki Hatake, Yamamoto's sister who light blonde hair and a blank look on her face as they among other simply stared at Bane.**

Within Bane's mind, he stood in the middle of darkness as figures that he knew appeared in a circle around him. His mind's twisted versions of his parents, Ryuken, Yamamoto, Tsujin, Kami and even himself all stood around him.

_"Bane..."_ the twisted versions of those he's known and met since his arrival in the City of the Ghouls chorused his name and grinned evilly.

"Who are you?" Bane questioned "what do you want?"

_"What do you mean 'whaddaya want', I desire only what you desire..." _Yamamoto, Bane's mind's representation of him said as his eyes were red on black like the others.

_"...and I know what you desire..."_ Kami continued as if they were one being and not seven separate individuals which they were in fact only parts of the one being, Dark Bane as Tsume added sweetly _"...you desire to kill..."_

_"...to murder..."_ Yang said darkly.

_"...to destroy..."_ Kami grinned sharkily

_"EVERYTHING"_ Tsujin snarled, startling Bane.

Bane made eye contact with himself, his dark side's true form who was sneering at him and doing or saying nothing "Stop this, whoever you are" Bane said with no emotion, the ruse wasn't hard to see through "you're doing a great job if you're trying to piss me off"

Everyone else disappeared as he was now alone with...himself _"What is 'Whoever I am' supposed to mean, are we not one and the same?"_ Dark Bane said.

_"Let me back in, so we can kill some more!"_ Dark Bane said with bloodlust in his black eyes as silver pupils appeared and his right eye changed to normal like a Ghoul when the Kakugan is inactive _"take my hand and I'll make all your dark dreams a reality"_

"What dark dreams?" Bane was still very angry and the angrier he grew, the harder it was to resist his other self's request "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

_"You can't lie to someone who knows your mind even better than you do"_ Dark Bane smirked _"...and I know you want to see what you're really capable of as a Ghoul"_

"This is _**MY**_ mind and I won't let you do this!" Bane said as his dark half snapped _"Wrong, this is **OUR** mind and you can leave here if only you'd just embrace my damn power already!"_

* * *

**Bane is backed against a wall by his dark side while elsewhere, despite being trapped in a place that makes it seem that he didn't exist he was attracting Wingless Dragon who'd reverted back to J'onn and Azazel to him like a moth to a black flame.**

"Bite my tail ever again, J'onn and I'll tear your freaking head off, got it?" Azazel said as J'onn, who vaguely remembers biting the Demon Lord in the first place as he used his abilities to sense energy and even movement from over 50 miles away "Save that for Kami when we find him..."

"Speaking of Kami, there's something I've been meaning to ask you" Azazel said "How could he be so powerful?"

J'onn closed his eyes, reminiscing of the past and Kami's youth as a escaped slave turned student of a Ghoul Lord and Ghoul Lord in the making himself "although Kami is powerful, neither he nor I am the strongest among the Ghoul Lords, I am one of the smartest but he was by all means the weakest and smarter than I was" J'onn said as Azazel was amazed, which rarely happened and jaw dropped, which never happened as J'onn laughed awkwardly "He was ostracised by the other Ghoul Lords, all from different countries, for the fact that all our memories of our personal pasts were intact but him and despite his mark as a natural prodigy..." J'onn paused again for a moment "...he felt like he needed to prove himself and even more to prove the Ghoul Lords who were now his colleagues that they were wrong and he was as powerful as any of them, that encouraged me to take him under my wing. If I may ask, what happened to your tail?" J'onn couldn't help but smirk at the look on Azazel's face.

Azazel scowled bringing his spade tipped tail to J'onn's jugular "You bit me, don't play dumb with me..." as J'onn raised his hands in defence, smiling wickedly as he tried not to laugh and faked a straight face under the Demon Lord's glare "How tempting, if only you'd stop moving it so much I would not want to bite it up, mon ami" he grabbed the tail in his firm grip only for Azazel to kick him hard in the face which he took before smiling evilly with dark things in mind for the Demon Lord's tail as he snarls "Let's go, we've wasted enough time already" Azazel only nodded with a dangerous look in his eyes as he grabbed J'onn's arm and teleported.

* * *

**A/N - Yang has finally cornered Kami with J'onn and Azazel on their way there, but with them too late from Kami executing his plans for Bane what will be the Ghoul's fate as he faces his dark side and finds Ryuken's sister? More next chapter!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Don't Be Afraid of the Dark**

**Chapter 15**

**Azazel and J'onn appeared far outside the city at a house as J'onn was having a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach of what they were heading into.**

"Something is keeping me out" Azazel said looking at J'onn "wherever the young Asakura is, it seems almost as if he no longer exists...weird, it seem more like he's been replaced"

"Let's not go in yet..." J'onn warned "it seems we have company...I know you're there, human, how about you tell me why you're here?"

**That was when Nobu walked out and he looked pissed...**

"A Frenchman...how odd" Nobu summised his first time face to face with the Ghoul Lord although only knowing him by obvious reputation "I'm here to repay a debt, Lebeau..."

J'onn grew serious, he also knew of the GEC's deadly hunter and how Kami thought of him as a plaything as his way of underestimating him but what Kami didn't know was that it was to be his undoing at some point "I'm listening..." he sensed a strong, almost Ghoul like murderous intent from the human and liked it a bit but it raised his concern that Kami may not leave him alone and if anything, could've killed him at his leisure.

"I have a debt to repay to a Ghoul..." Nobu said as his men came out of the bushes and listened as J'onn scowled at the men and growled before locking eyes with Nobu "Why is that?"

"I do not understand why but he was meant to eat me and he saved me from that motherfucking Kami instead" Nobu said as his men gasped "Kami turned on him though, so I'm helping you bring him in alive so I could repay him."

_"Guten tag..."_ A husky voice said into the forest as the wind suddenly stopped, everyone was scared minus Azazel and a smiling J'onn as a giant man walked out slowly as his cold grey eyes met J'onn's who had a sad expression_ "Du musst dein Balg bis zur Ferse, Lucario"_ (You need to heel your brat, Lucario) the man said in his thick German accent as J'onn said "Azazel, this is Bjorn Tartaron, Germany's Ghoul Lord and he looks rather peeved if he's come all the way here to seek me out"

Bjorn huffed, he cares nothing for praise as he snarled "Shall we get this over with, Lucario, I haven't all night and I'm obviously not here alone." He placed his hand on the ground as he concentrated with his bloody jaw and cigar between his teeth as others were revealed surrounding them.

The Chinese and lone female Ghoul Lord Tsu Chen, who had pretty much the same relationship with Kami as Azazel did with Lillith except for him being avaricious and resentful, saying that she had no place among the Ghoul Lords being the only woman...something he was made to regret the moment those words left his mouth as she stood between the humans with her arms around the human men's shoulders and blood on her black lipsticked lips "Do we have to kill him, he's the most fun out of any of you" Tsu Chen smirked at Tarteron but the German ignored her "I sense a child trapped in that sorry excuse for a pocket dimension Kurosaki stole access to...he is the one Kuro's after, no?"

"Well, well" a voice said lowly in an Italian accent as Italy's Ghoul Lord and murderous seducer, Mario Bartalos smirked as he appeared out of thin air before J'onn "It took the least outwardly intelligent of us to figure out that Kami may have just found his perfect replacement"

This caused Bjorn to growl, the German never got along with Bartalos strictly because despite his limited vocabulary, Bjorn is the smartest and tallest of the Ghoul Lords standing at a staggering 9 feet, a full four feet over his Italian colleague and the scariest Ghoul here right now since if he snaps, he could trap them all in another dimension "Listen here, Bartalos, powerful boy trapped with weaklings in teensy pocket dimension might be Kurosaki's liable replacement, pocket dimension Bjorn's invention, stolen by Kami...when Bjorn gets his hands on him...!" He crushed his cigar in his hands and when he opened them, he formed a black hole with his full mastery of Dark Magics far superior to Kami's before clapping and crushing it out of existence as he grunted with a dark amused grin "Get the point, pretty boy?"

Suddenly, Bjorn found a black rose at his feet and picked it up, examining it as a voice was heard _"Tarjetas de hombres y perra, deseo que podríamos dejar de reunión en ocasiones como ésta_" (Greeting men and bitch, I wish we could stop meeting on occasions such as this one) the Mexican Ghoul Lord Johnson Briarios appeared "Kami, that little idiot, got off his leash again didn't he, J'onn?"

"Can we go inside already?" Nobu asked cutting the arguing Ghouls short "Ya want to kill him as bad as I think you do, he's not just going to sit there and wait...plus, my bloodlust is taking over a bit from the aura you guys give off"

He was about to enter when J'onn's arm got in his way "Let's wait a moment...Bjorn, do the honours?"

**Bjorn simply snapped his fingers, removing a barrier that hid all their presences from those inside and even stopped the wind though no one really noticed or cared until now.**

"Our time will come soon enough..." Briarios smirked, his unnerving stare constantly on the humans "Can I have one?" He asks as J'onn smacked him hard "Not on your life" both he and Nobu growled.

* * *

**Meanwhile, inside Kami was still enraged and threatening to beat the insolent Yang all over the house before he lost control of his anger.**

"You want Bane so bad, Yang?!" Kami growled as he played on Yang's weaknesses and punches him away as the other join in and Kami growled lowly and warningly "come and get him"

**That was when he sensed it, the other Ghoul Lords had found him...he didn't know or care to know how but he could feel under his skin that J'onn and Azazel were among them.**

Kami paled as he simply stopped fighting and scowled "What are they doing here...?" As the door opened revealing the four Ghoul Lords as shadows only.

* * *

_Then it happened..._

* * *

**Yang was even more amazed than Kami that they had disappeared as fast as they appeared.**

Suddenly, a feminine hand reaches out from behind Kami and caressed his face as Tsujin was creeped out, which was saying something as he cringed "No, Lord Kurosaki, just...no" and Yang sweatdropped "Um...who the fuck are you?" He narrowed his eye as the Ghoul Mistress, Tsu Chen appeared to be latched to the irrate Ghoul Lord who was well aware of who she was and what she was up to "Meet Ghoul Mistress and resident 'slut' Tsu Chen...would you like it as much as I would if I raped ya?!" He snapped as she moaned almost sensually "Oh, Kami, try it and it'll be the last thing your overgrown pee-pee ever touches!"

"Hmmph" Kami groaned with a daring "and here I thought Ghouls were unable to be cowards with our lack of a meaning of the word fear for ourselves"

"You are just so easy to use...despite your ineptitude" she smirked as she kissed Kami and he purposely deepened it warning her "Your words say one thing but you and your body do the opposite of those words, though I'll make it clear one. Final. Time...don't come onto me unless you're as dead serious as I am" he throws her off.

Bjorn suddenly appears near the wall where Bane was trapped by Kami, examining it as he breathed softly and his eyes widened and flashed white "I weep for the future of our kind..." as Kami turned on him "Get away from there, I'll rip your weeping head off!"

**Kami lunged at Bjorn only to have a meeting with his foot to his gut and a hard right to the face before pounding his fist on the wall as it shattered creating a portal to a part of the realm he alone had access to, revealing one of it's traps, a great Hellhound that could be the nasty brother of Cerebrus, one of the Guardian to the Gates of Hell, with black skin and white hot flames coming from it's mouth as it stood at twice it's three headed cousin's size with Kami dead in it's three head's sights. Each head having two pairs of burning red eyes**

Yang lunged at Bjorn from behind but the Ghoul Lord smiled with a pure evil look on his face as he kicked Yang's foot midair, off balancing him as he flew through a black portal...a few seconds later, another portal opened dropping him on his face.

"Yang..." Tsujin went to his side as he said "I-I'm alright...I swore I heard Bane's voice."

"You shall leave Kurosaki to us, you've meddled enough as is" Bjorn said as he raised his palm to the two as the seemed to freeze in place before being taken outside by a portal. All but Scar.

"Who are you?" Scar questioned "Are you...are you Ghoul Lords?" as Bjorn looked at him, uninterested but nodded silently as J'onn appeared with Azazel

"Demon Lord...J'onn, your presence here makes no difference, Bane's fate and unfortunately yours are already sealed."

Azazel then stepped forward to Kami alone as he broke one of the Demon Dog's necks and ripped the other two off snarling "one head is enough, teme inu (foolish dog)!"

He then rolled one of the heads at Bjorn's feet "sorry" he apologized sarcastically but Bjorn shook his head and shrugged "Hundreds more where that came from, maybe thousands." he said with full certainty.

**Azazel does the unthinkable and pulls out a dagger slicing his left palm, squeezing and showing his black blood before tossing it to Kami's feet. All the Ghoul Lords as well as most Greater/Lesser Demons and Demon Lords alike knew of this tradition, a blood duel that puts each combatant's lives as well as their ranks on the line.**

"I win, you leave here and never return to this city" Kami smirked deviously as he slashed his right palm and threw the dagger back to Azazel as he queried "I apologize beforehand as I am incapable of holding back but what would be the case should I win?"

Kami laughed "I've beaten you before, you will not win" but Azazel scowled, hating being underestimated as he shook Kami's cut hand with his own cut hand and the Demon Lord's physical strength surprised Kami a bit as the matched trying to squeeze the other's hand "I was pulling my punches then as I was uncertain of my opponent's ability but this is different. I wrote the book the dark magics you use."

Bjorn then looked at Ryuken "You should go before this gets out of hand and you die" he raised his hand to teleport him as he looked at Azazel "Avenge my sister, Demon or else" as Azazel shot him a dark look, showing just how pissed he was despite his outward calmness as he replied, showing his true dislike of the Ghouls despite his equal curiosity "Yeah, right...or else what?"

**Kami and Azazel began their blood duel while elsewhere, the Ghouls were teleported outside where they were met at gunpoint by the humans minus Nobu.**

"Don't even breathe, you freaks" four of the men had their weapons aimed at the skulls of the Ghouls from behind and they were arguably pissed as Yang scowled "If you think that's going to happen, human, you are sadly mistaken as I'm in as bad a mood as you'll ever find me."

"I-we promise, we would prefer to be allies for now" Yamamoto said correcting himself as his companions looked downright murderous at the moment, having lost their chances at long awaited vengeance against Kami but Tsujin's expression quickly changes to hopelessness as there were very few he'd met that could go toe-to-toe with a lone Ghoul Lord let alone six downright angry ones.

The Ghouls stood still, with the air around them almost as still as the aura of the Ghoul Lords' very presences.

"Hideo, let him go" a voice said behind the men to the blonde, whose weapon moved to Yang's throat "I don't think so..." Yang sensed the man's bloodlust but it paled in comparison to the owner of the other voice, Nobunaga who now had a blade at the man's throat as he said again with a slight, but unnoticeable inhumanity "I said let him go, unless you want me to tear your throat open!"

"I can't, they killed my comrades!" the man, Hideo said as Yang turned his head to look the human holding him in the eye coldly "I need their help to find the Ghoul, Bane first"

Yang turned and looked Nobu straight in the eye "What gratitude, pray tell, do you owe Bane?"

Hideo swung his weapon at Yang "What's it to you, freak?!" but he caught it with one hand and glared at the human with a fire in his eyes but spoke calmly...too calmly "I'd appreciate it that if we're working together, you use my name, Yang and as for what it is to me...I'm his father." Yang said in an annoyed tone.

"Get off me...right...now" Yang said in a quieter, colder voice as he looked at Nobu oddly as he laughed at the look on his face before putting his hand out to shake each Ghoul's hand "Nobunaga Uchino, everyone calls me 'Nobu' and I'm kinda pleased to meet you, Hiachi-san"

Yang grunted with mischief in his eyes "So, you're the one who lost his wife and kid to Kami...twice" as Nobu scowled "I don't need your pity"

"Good" Yang smiled "you weren't gonna get it anyway, so suck it up and deal with it...you're not the only one Kurosaki has hurt that I've heard of."

**With Bane, he had managed to wake up but was only still half conscious of it as his left eye, without the Kakugan showed his humanity that he was struggling to keep with sheer willpower while his right eye, with his Kakugan activated against his will looked stripped of any humanity and only glared as his personality, warped by the Kami's consciousness partially still inside him which began slowly corrupting him painfully the more he resisted it, was a far cry from the part of him that wished to return to being human.**

Bane awoke and shot up, startling the young men and ladies with him as they thought he was in a deep trance state or dead by now "there's no way you're getting out of here..." said a man that almost reminded the Good Bane of Yamamoto though he looked different even though he have almost the same body build, this one was less toned and muscular having never trained and possibly no fighting skill as Bane turned slowly to him with the most menacing glare as his voice, sounding like both his and Kami's growled "Shut up!" He snapped as the dimension went ominously silent.

_"Detai" _(I want out) Bane writhed in pain _"Watashi wa watashi ga ima detai okashiku iimashita!"_ (I said I freaking want out NOW!) He yelled as his voice seemed to tear him a way out of the dimension as he jumped through and it closed behind him before any of the others could get close enough to follow leaving him unconscious in the same forest but far from where Kami was as the wind blew soothingly as his eyes were still open and mismatched but breaking out of a dimension meant to be a prison for his kind if need be had left him with mental backlash, thus the unconsciousness.

* * *

**Back with the Ghoul Lords, Bjorn had managed to access the dimension Kami had trapped Ghouls in...truthfully it wasn't meant to hold people, human or Ghoul, anyway but to hold items the Ghoul Lord would rather not lose or have stolen.**

Bjorn frowned slightly, he hated disappoinment but was not fully yet as Briarios appeared "Oye, Bjorn" he called out as Bjorn, although he could fully hear him, chose not to acknowledge his presence as he continued "I found us a real live Angel, believe it or not"

Bjorn growled at his smart-assed colleague as a his Ukaku appeared at the blade of his shoulder revealing a wing that seemed to be made of red hot gas but can solidify to a crystal-like form at his will as he shot bladed projectiles at him "Don't make a joke of science!" he said dangerously as Briarios jumped to evade the attack as he defended "No, you misunderstand, señor, we found an Angel on the outskirts between here and the city, señor Bartalos is distracting him as we speak. He also wields a strange weapon and something on his person is beating...like a heart"

Kami, who was listening as he fought hand-to-hand with Azazel who proved to really want him dead and was very strong despite his small figure compared to Kami's, heard that the Angel was still near as with one hand he caught Azazel over him by the neck and braced for an attack from his tail but it wrapped itself around its master's leg tightly instead as he snarled "Wait a minute, will ya?" Before throwing him aside and began meditating and concentrating on the specific location of the heart, his heart.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Bartalos was currently toying with the Angel as the swung his scythe at the Ghoul Lord, only to come within inches of hitting him and still miss, but he was beginning to get disturbed by and angry with Jack Arc because he grew bored of playing his little game.**

"Come now, is this the best you can do?" Bartalos asks dodging Jack Arc for the umpteenth time as the Angel was able to attack even from a distance and had the air to his advantage.

"You've yet to see what I am capable of" Arc said as he floated down, Bartalos having stopped with his back turned to the Angel, who has been watching the Ghouls since his subsequent beating from Kami, was also changed...his personality was a bit more malicious and deadly while still retaining his mind and personality. He's also been murdering a lot of Ghouls until it was affecting Japan's Ghoul population as he said "Now die..."

He swung his weapon to take Bartalos' head, but as he dodged every blow unscathed because of his speed and not his martial arts skills that were worse than Kami's, if he possessed any at all.

Suddenly, something heavy tripped him as he landed on the ground. When he saw what it was, his eyes grew wide and his body stiffened as it was the still comatose body of Bane Asakura and he whispered to himself _"Che orrore" _(What a horror) he said _"È questo ciò che il destino ha in serbo per il mio tipo?" _(Is this what fate has in store for my kind?) as Bane's body showed signs of mental, physical even sexual abuse, some very recent while some he just didn't wish to see.

Arc saw Bane but seemed uncaring as he said "He should've heeded my warnings about being so close to Kami...too bad" he said with oddly no sarcasm at all as he swung his scythe to take the Ghoul Lord's head but missed, so he tried again but Bartalos caught the blade of the scythe at the tip with three fingers - without paying much attention to Arc or taking his eyes off Bane - as his lips failed to move, he'd actually been through the same torture before his mind reversed to something the Angel said concerning Kami "Who was responsible for this...?" He asks softly as the Angel perked at the unexpected question and answered by pushing his weapon closer down on the Ghoul who made sure it didn't budge as the Ghoul turned his eye to him, if Japan did this to young Ghouls and Kami was responsible or knew and did nothing...let's say he was in for it from this Ghoul Lord, not to mention the others "Was it your doing...or Kami's?"

**Receiving no answer, he decides that playtime was over as he pulled the weapon with the three fingers he held it with using very little effort as he came inches from Arc's face.**

* * *

**A demonic laugh rang out as the fight ended as fast as it began with Bartalos sprinting back to the other waiting Ghoul Lords with the Angel, his weapon and Bane in tow. Meanwhile, Bjorn needed to coax the Ghouls out of his dimension NOW but found it harder than usual as all the Japanese speaking Ghouls were not here, save for Kami and he was in no mood for him.**

"Out we go now, one at a time" Bjorn showed the Ghouls, ranging from children to adults, out of their prison for how long, he didn't want to know but seemed terrified of something and won't move.

"Get out-" Bjorn was beginning to get furious as J'onn toughed his shoulder "there's no need to scare them, Lord Bjorn" just as Kami pinned Azazel to the held his head down with crushing force as he attempted to crush his skull "Bakayaro, they won't understand German...let alone a half-retarded German Ghoul Lord"

Bjorn felt insulted by the icy glare he gave Kami that silenced anything else stupid he had to say as J'onn was pushing him back as he walked to Kami with no hindrance as Kami knew what to do already as he wasn't being given a choice _"Watashi no kidī o dete kimasu" _(Come out, my kiddies) he said as with an evil grin _"Tan'itsu no fairu"_ (single file) as they stepped out single file led by Ryuken's sister.

"The fear will last a few days at the least" Bjorn summised "und you will be more or less normal afterwards...und dead if I find anything important missing"

* * *

**Outside, Bartalos had just made it back with an unconscious Angel and an unresponsive Bane as Yang rushed to his son's side forgetting everything else and Nobu was stunned, feeling that Yang may blame him equally as Kami due to his own life being spared for Bane's. In the mood he's in, Bartalos will allow no one to lay hands on Bane.**

"Bane..." Yang said as Bartalos walked up and straight past the mortified mixture of Ghouls and Humans as Yamamoto attempted to hold Yang back but he shook out of his hold "Get off me, where's he going with my son?!"

Yang grabbed Mario's shoulder firmly enough that he though he was hurting the Ghoul Lord but he spun around and kicked him in the chest, knocking him back "The boy is to be judged as is Kami, I will kill you if you try to take him from me" Mario Bartalos spoke calmly but Yang could sense the pain in his voice as he found the door locked as another kick almost tore it off the hinges.

* * *

**Inside, all turned their heads except Bjorn who merely turned his eyes to see Bartalos had returned with Bane and the Angel. Kami was mad, how did Bane manage to get out of a dimension where he'd sealed all possible exits and was fundamentally inescapable and he wanted his heart back, seeing as he could do without his soul as it made it weak in his own eyes.**

"Kami..." Battalos said with no emotion "You've some explaining to do..." Miami's eyes went wide as he saw Bane and the Angel.

"Someone has been busy" Bjorn looked at him before going into the dimension himself "-wait, wasn't he to be in here and what could brought this in here?" He reached in and found the Dark Tome that somehow was still in Bane's possession when Kami threw him in there.

"Can you help him or not?" Yang came in, cutting to the chase and almost earning to foot down his throat from the Ghoul Lord but he replied "Yes, Bjorn will help the child...after all he is the chosen one and the mind is Bjorn's expertise"

Yang and everyone else but Kami released a collected sigh of relief as Yang bowed to him as a sign of respect _"Dōmo arigatōgozaimasu"_ (Thank you so much) as Bjorn merely nodded "Don't thank us yet..."

**A/N - Now that Kami has been apprehended by his fellow, more powerful who've also found Bane and the Angel, Jack Arc, what do they have in store for them, will Bane regain control over himself and how will this affect Kami when they put him on a trial that could lead to banishment for him as well as the other Ghouls being killed? R&amp;R and find out.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Don't Be Afraid of the Dark**

**Chapter 16**

**Kami was now overpowering Azazel little by little with his sheer strength alone as the other Ghoul Lords refuse to intervene but still put their two yen in about the whole situation with Bane and Kami.**

Bjorn was more or less ignoring the fight, preferring to think about Bane as he, after laying Bane on his back, put his palms over his face without touching him to removing the Dark magic he felt choking him metaphysically. He eventually saw Bane slowly open his eyes before snapping in his shock "Get away from me!" As Bjorn did exactly the opposite as he grabbed him "Don't move, youngling" he growled with an authority that Bane seemed unable to disobey as he laid still, red eyes slowly being enveloped in the black creeping across his sclera as he willed himself to attack the Ghoul Lord who, with a swift backhand to break his nose, taught him what 'don't move' meant as he growled even harsher "Don't. Move." Prompting him to stay there, as he shot a death glare at Yang who snarled at Bjorn "What the hell do you think you're doing to my son, bakayaro?!" But the oblivious and otherwise still calm Ghoul Lord gave a very sane but dark grin "Go on, try it and Bjorn will bitch slap you both..." His eyes flickered in a dangerous way Yang didn't like at all.

**Yang immediately lunged at Bjorn but was aware and expectant of an inter dimensional portal or two to appear but Bjorn grabbed him by his head instead.**

"I saw images in his mind of things you tried to do to him as well" Bjorn snapped Yang out of his rage as he defended "I did not try to rape my son, if that's what you're implying!"

"You were once Kami's student as well as supposed adopted child among others, I won't expect you not to pick up his habits" Bjorn deadpanned with a smirk "You might just be merely a clone of your former master" he let go of the Ghoul's head.

Bjorn was about to reach out and touch Yang who backed away "Are all Ghoul Lords deranged?" He asked as Bjorn only smiled.

Bane reached up and grabbed Bjorn's wrist tightly enough to garner his attention "Don't...touch him, please" he said, still too weak to move from crossing dimensions on his own for the first time, which he would get used to with enough practice.

"My touch is harmless, brat" Bjorn smirked as a portal erased his arm, which appeared behind Yang, grabbing his ear hard "It's Tsu Chen's venomous touch you need to worry about, her kiss is even worse"

"You're too kind" Tsu Chen smirked as she tried to touch him only to have her hand slapped hard as he replied "don't kid yourself, Mistress, it wasn't like that and bring your hands that close to me ever again and they're mine, you hear?" he warned as she huffed and he smiled. He saw her flinch visibly as he faked lunging at her, he wasn't one to bluff at all.

**Kami was confused by Azazel's rapid and random tepeortation as he stood still and closed his eyes in an attempt to calm himself.**

**Screen splits showing caution on the faces of most of the Ghoul Lords and the other Ghouls.**

Yamamoto looked at the, now freed, Ghouls that were imprisoned by Kami until now 'their eyes...could they be my lost clansmen?' One of them looked at him, the male looked almost exactly like him with the same look as him as he turned to glare at Kami "Your lies are about to come back to bite you finally and I'm enjoying it."

Kami kept his eyes shut but sneered "please, after I'm done with this Demon Lord scum, I plan to torture you personally, Hatake-kun while the rest watch and wait for their turns" his voice oozed evilly as he thought 'Now' as his eyes snapped open wide and completely black as he caught Azazel and scowled unhappily "there you are" and slammed Azazel on the ground and smirking at the sound of his cracking spine until the Demon Lord stopped moving as he seemed to read Bane's thoughts yet again "He is alive...this isn't a duel to the death, after all, though you having the spine I just heard shattering is quite a surprise, Azazel" he glanced at Bane's eyes over his shoulder the sneered at Bane.

"Azazel's been defeated, so I'll claim my prize now!" Kami held Azazel off the ground by his tail and pulled out a dagger to remove his prize, the Demon Lord's tail.

* * *

**Then it happened, all the Ghoul Lords, plus a downright furious duo of Yang and Yamamoto were already coming at him as Yamamoto managed to get Azazel away from him. The Ghoul Lords then pinned him to the ground but even the five Ghoul Lords were having trouble restraining the monster.**

Kami was laughing his ass off "Burn in Hell, _anata no kachinonai gomi!_ (worthless trash!)" He did the unthinkable and used Amaterasu to burn his body then blow it up, catching all but Yamamoto in the fray by surprise.

**Bane screamed out in rage as they turned to notice the body Kami blew up wasn't actually his own. Kami appeared, more unscathed than he should be, behind Bane and grabbed him.**

"I-I saw you blow yourself up!" Bane said as Kami distanced himself from Bjorn and deflected Tsujin and Yang with one hand as he licked Bane's ear, causing an involuntary shiver as he replied "I think I'll try to rape him while his mind is conscious of it...care to stand witness again and again, Yang?" He chuckled madly at the look of ferocity on Yang's face as he continued playing his mind games somewhat cleverly distanced himself to moved closer to the humans knowing Bjorn was personally twice as dangerous as he was up close but wouldn't dare attack him for the sake of the humans they made a ceasefire/truce with and quickly got to what he intended to do as he wiped his own blood on Bane forehead and Bane's blood on his own.

"What are you doing?!" Bane demanded as Kami kept him somewhat still with one arm to smear his blood from his thumb he bit on his head "Shut up and stay still, baka, you'll find out soon enough"

He paused for a moment when he realized Bane wasn't listening as he kissed his cheek and grabbed his groin, his voice becoming darker for a moment "stop moving, I don't give second warnings"

Kami bit down on Bane's shoulder harder than he should and put the younger Ghoul's blood on his own forehead.

"When?!" Bane snarled as Kami commended him for still being conscious but frowned "When what?"

"When did you rape me, you asshole?!" He countered gripping his own pants from Kami's reach with his dear life "you remember when you were in my torture chamber and I gave Tsujin his chance at revenge with my Tsume, right?"

Bane nodded as he snapped "My mother does NOT belong to you!" as he continued, ignoring the suddenly fiery tempered Ghoul, narrowing his orange eyes on him "Well, I was bored as your shadow wouldn't come out and play, with you unconscious, so I took the chance while I had your vulnerable body all to myself" he smirked at the horrified look on Bane's and Yang's faces, much less everyone else's "I admit, I'm not homosexual and you were no expert but you were far too tight so I had to force it all the way in although you don't seem to have felt anything"

He touched Bane's hand as his eyes went wide and watered as the fight ran out of him "So that was what I noticed when I was healing him...you're sick and utterly twisted, Kurosaki, I'll give you that" he hadn't raised it with the others, especially Yang with their currently short fuses.

"I'm gonna murder...no, massacre you, Kurosaki!" Yang snarled angrily jumping at Kami as he became Yin again but Kami dashed past him, going for his currently very aggravated superior, Bjorn who had a massive amount of condensed dark magic in his palm powerful enough to decimate an area twice the size of Russia and then some.

"Bjorn has had enough of this..." Bjorn said glancing at his fellow highly worried Ghoul Lords, who have never actually seen a full display of what he can really do despite the rumors that he turned to facts about him as Yang grabbed hold of Bane for dear life and Kami lunged at them but they were enveloped by darkness before Kami could do anything.

* * *

**In a dark space between the minds of Kami and Bane, the two appeared beside each other in a black room with only the area they stood being white, Kami needed to hurry as Bjorn had entered after them via Kami's mind, but hasn't made it this deep into his consciousness yet as their dark sides appeared across from them.**

**'Well, look who's back'** Dark Kami smiled a mirror image to his slightly more good twin as Dark Bane stood beside him with his head down the entire time before looking at Bane **'C'mon, take my offer, it'll be more fun'** he said convincingly as Bane scowled "Not you again..."

**Kami noted this was a side of Bane he never thought could exist but could feel Bjorn zipping around his consciousness and delving deeper to parts even most powerful and experienced telepaths could not.**

Kami smacked Bane on the back of his head hard, almost knocking him to the ground "It's a simple yes or no answer, stop being so stubborn" he grumbled a bit

Bane rubbed his stinging head as he shot a menacing glare at him that almost made him flinch "Don't touch me after what you've done" he said coldly before shifting his gaze to Dark Kami and Dark Bane were inches apart from them now.

"No, I don't care for your offer" Bane said as there was a twinkle in Kami's eyes, now he was rather curious what would be the case if the answer was a yes.

**'Is that so?'** Dark Bane said persuasively **'you sure you don't need to reconsider?'**

"Reconsider what?!" Bane grabbed Dark Bane by the neck "I've considered and reconsidered enough and my answer...is...NO" he choked his dark side to the point where he was shaking and Dark Bane was losing more air and his black tongue was stick out before Bane dropped him without killing him, as that would be the same as killing himself.

**'Final answer?'** Dark Kami asked looking at him though he seemed unable to maintain eye contact as he nodded as Bane and Dark Bane's bodies starts to disappear but just before Dark Bane disappears fully he grinned evilly **'I'll let you live to that choice someday, believe it!'** He snarled before they both seemed to evaporate away to ash.

Kami kept his head down as a demonic grin slowly as he whispered to himself "so that's his answer..." His grin grew wider as he felt Bjorn slow down significantly.

_"U ̄ n... Sore wa yosō-gaideshita"_ (Well...that was unexpected) Kami said a bit too calmly despite having known that Bane either accept or not depending on how far and how hard he pushed him _"Shikashi, ima, hontō no tanoshimi ga hajimarimasu"_ (But now, the real fun starts) he and his darker self reach for each other's hand as if touching an invisible mirror between them.

* * *

**Outside of Kami's mind, the other Ghoul Lords manage to evade being blown up (again), all but Bjorn who even the Ghoul Lords knew better than to annoy. They managed to escape the decimated building unscathed but shocked.**

_"Mira por donde está apuntando esa cosa, idiota grande!"_ (Watch where you're aiming that thing, big idiot!) Johnson Briarios snapped as Tsu Chen snapped "John, you're too loud" before looking at the dissipating darkness "it's not like Bjorn can ever be killed by his own creation..."

* * *

**Back with Bjorn, Bane had woken up for a moment to question the Ghoul Lord while Kami was still out cold.**

"Can I ask you something, sir?" Bane asks as Bjorn nodded as he carried Bane on his back and dragged Kami behind him "What is it...Bane?"

"Is he alive" he pointed at Kami "and what's going to happen now?"

"The two of you will be imprisoned until put on trial" Bjorn smirked at the viciousness of Bane's growling stomach "after you will join one of my legendary banquets, as long as your angry belly agrees"

Bane was about to fall unconscious but was fully awake in seconds at Bjorn's suggestion "Wait...banquet and what the heck am I being judged for in the first place?"

"Worry not, child..." He added "you are not on the menu but will eat until you can't move, rest assured, as for your trial...the death of a Ghoul, brother of Tsujin...I know that you didn't kill him and don't care, you should've been notified of Ghoul laws the moment your father turned" he said getting the info from his short visits to Bane's mind while it was connected to Kami's

"Kami killed him and framed me, do I seriously look that deadly?" Bane reasoned but Bjorn rolled his eyes "Don't care...entering a Ghoul City illegally and agitating the local Binge Eaters..."

"You call being kidnapped and just waking up here, thanks to Lord Ero-Sennin here..." Bane stuck his thumb at Kami with a funny but straight look on his face "...'entering illegally' and why would I want anything to do with maneaters that eat other maneaters?"

"Provoking another Binge War?!" Bjorn was angry about this one as he's barely survived the last world wide Ghoul War that the humans hadn't paid attention to due to one of their own wars at around the time "I've only heard Kami and now you talk about it, but I have no idea what you're really talking about." Bane said losing consciousness again as Bjorn just looked at him, worried if he will grow a hatred for his own kind and if he's eaten at all.

**Bjorn walked until the other Ghoul Lords came into view and they were as impatient as he was.**

"Were you worried about little old me, Chen, darling?" He smirked as Tsu Chen remarked "you try to kill us all and expect me to worry...don't flatter yourself."

"Shall we begin anytime within the next hundred years?" Bartalos asked impassively and sarcastically as he looked around "...and where's J'onn run off to?"

"You go, Bjorn has a piece of his mind for J'onn Luc" Bjorn said passing Bane to Tsu Chen and Kami to Bartalos who looked at him worried but cautious that he may jump up and yell 'surprise' at any moment as he expressed his concern "And the Angel?"

Bjorn opened a black portal as he scowled "Not my concern..." as he entered it and it closed behind him.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Tsume was alone in said library looking for any information she could dig up on Ghouls and Kami in particular. Little did she know, Bjorn had made it there seconds ago and was watching her. She thanked God that Ghouls didn't sleep, hence the library and most other places had no opening or closing time unless the owner had other business.**

Bjorn didn't know who she was but knew she wasn't a Ghoul by how much she yawned, so he decided to meet her while scaring the holy hell out of her at the same time with how eerie the library already was. He found fun in that.

"Let's see what I can dig up on Kami and these Binge Eaters" Tsume said to herself as she glanced at her surrounding "He doesn't have the excuse of sleeping on the job but would it kill this guy to clean up after himself?" She said as the dust made her sneeze "Seek your knowledge elsewhere!" Bjorn said creepily and snickered at her expression, he wasn't above pulling a prank for fun and accidental blood shed without a care that Yang would have his head if he harmed her.

A portal took up his arm as it appeared near the mutant, the back of his fingers touching her ear as he noticed J'onn watching and restraining himself from going into a fit of laughter upon his own arrival to question a scowling Arc.

Then his hand reappeared right in front of her and waved at her then flicked her on the nose as she silently cursed "What. The literal. Fuck?" That got a icy glare from Arc who almost burst with laughter until J'onn quickly put his hand over his mouth.

Tsume was fuming now, as no Ghoul has shown a power shadow based like hers before "J'onn should've warned you that this place wasn't only his home" his voice was normal for him but absolutely creepy to Tsume but she found him somehow as her shadow lunged at him secretly.

Being a Ghoul Lord that had the most experience with shadows and the mind, he dodged without looking _'Interesting, only family I know that can wield shadows that well from but is...'_ He kept his eye on Tsume before looking at the shadow that missed him by miles despite the speed _'...so that's what Kami lusts for, an Asakura, one of Japan's noble clans along with his own nearly extinct Kurosaki Clan as well as the Hatake...not like anything is actually noble about them to me'_

"Guten tag, love" Bjorn walked out to meet her face to face as she recognized the voice and swung a kick at him which he blocked with one arm, his very aura was dangerous to her "Ghoul Lord...the name is Bjorn and that was only having a little fun." He did not retaliate by choice as she cursed under her breath and returned to what she was doing and he glared at J'onn "You better get to explaining yourself, if you like your library in one peace, J'onn"

J'onn was tired of this as it has happened before "fine...just don't break anything and NO portals, please" he and Bjorn went into another room leaving Arc and Tsume.

The two glared coldly at each other as the read, sharing no words "Mrs. Asakura..." he greeted as she remained silent, more absorbed in her book.

* * *

**With Kami and Bane, Bane regained consciousness to find himself in an all white room with Kami who was now awake and refusing to get near him, both their magic were non-existent here and Kami kept his distance as his eyes were shut.**

Bane crawled closer to Kami, who was meditating and tried to touch him only to be kicked back to his corner of the windowless room "K-Kami..."

"If this were my doing" Kami snapped angrily "You think I'd be here with you, of all people?!" He slammed his fist against the wall as it cracked like glass before repairing itself.

"What is this place?" Bane asked as Kami replied as if Bane should already know "A prison...experimental, anyway but made to siphon magic from Ghouls with no way out"

"Wouldn't that kill us?" he whispered as Kami scowled bitterly "if we were human, we'd never had woken up though staying here will eventually drain more than just your magic and kill us...my guess is that it won't happen, at least for you, since they'll happily leave me to rot here as it was built by humans"

Bane remains silent as Kami growled before he started talking again "Shut up, stop bugging me and rest...it'll conserve energy...you'll need it."

**A/N - the Ghoul Lords have captured Kami in order to judge both him and Bane, but for how long can they last and what is Bjorn so adamant about when he has a piece of his mind for J'onn? R&amp;R and find out!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Don't Be Afraid of the Dark**

**Chapter 17**

**Bjorn and J'onn sat at his desk, Bjorn was watching as his discomfort as he moved his hands as if he was playing with something in his empty hands.**

"Monsieur Bjorn..." J'onn looked in the other man's dark eyes finally.

"Care to explain, J'onn Luc?" Bjorn stared at the desk before them "you're beating around the bush...don't anger me, you know what I wants and that I am not leaving without it." Bjorn's forced calm tone belied his bad mood, he usually never substituted the word 'Bjorn' for 'I' and 'me' unless the situation was as grave as this one.

"Where's Bane?" J'onn asked slyly "his mother is worried sick, I can see it."

"So she's his mother...?" Bjorn snarled a bit, his anger becoming evident "he isn't your concern and neither is Kurosaki right now"

"We aren't getting anywhere..." J'onn said, sparks of energy now blitzing around his body as Bjorn glares at him "That, we agree on."

Bjorn the slammed his palm on the centre of the table, splitting it as he got right in the face of J'onn "Now explain to Bjorn how come Japanese Ghouls under someone's orders are trying to cause a coupé in Germany and I'm receiving complaints from Ghouls AND Ghoul Lords alike, here and there to answer as to why Japanese Ghouls are causing trouble, hm?!" Bjorn slammed his hand on the desk, threatening to break it with his Hulk-like strength

"Get out of my face, Tartaron or you'll regret it" J'onn warned trying to hide his own anger that someone was sending Japanese Ghouls to take over other Ghoul territories outside of Japan. He had heard the rumors as well but hoped it wasn't who he thought it was.

* * *

**A few minutes and Bjorn was sent smashing into a wall.**

* * *

Bjorn, resilient as always, shook off the attack as he advanced "Bjorn had to come here also on Ireland and Ukraine's behalf...you know how the Ghoul Lords there are war mongers much like myself except they won't spare as much words" Bjorn got closer to J'onn and almost giggled at the terror on his face.

**With Tsume and Arc, she'd learned a lot about the Ghouls as a race and that they'd existed for about as long as Humanity did, but next to nothing about the Kurosaki Clan or Kami.**

"What the-?" Tsume said, seeing several pages missing "some of these pages have been torn out..."

"These pages were burnt..." Arc said "recently...and somehow the perpetrator left without a scent or energy signature"

"So J'onn-sennin has had his books pilfered by someone who wants no one learning about Kami" Tsume peered over to see J'onn trying to strangle Bjorn on the floor as the larger Ghoul placed his massive hand over J'onn's face as a black sphere appeared between his eyes which widens.

"Enough!" Tsume snapped sending her shadow at the two, catching J'onn but Bjorn jumps away quicker than expected for the tallest Ghoul Lord on Earth.

"Bjorn has had enough..." Bjorn said with dark smirk looking at J'onn before his eyes slowly shifted to look Tsume straight in the eye "...very interesting, so if that temperamental, little runt obsessed with killing Kami is Bane's father, by the shadows, Bjorn takes it you are his mother." He was still unhappy, even more by her interruption.

Tsume scowled as he continues "too bad the brat did not inherit such beautiful eyes" Bjorn smirked as he lifted J'onn off the floor and sat on the floor himself "someone's at the door...don't go there" he warned.

**Outside, there stood a man with stitches all over his body stood watching the library...he was one of the survivors of Kami's experimentations on other Ghouls, Rin and he was fiercely loyal to Kami and had no will to turn on his physically abusive master. He also had the pages missing from the library with info on Kami which he obtained while Kami kept everyone occupied.**

Rin gave a fanged grin, the only emotion he had other than rage as his pupil-less black eyes glanced at the papers "too bad" the hulking man growled "these papers would have been so beneficial in helping you learn about my master...now to retrieve his bride"

"Fire..." His eyes widened in sadistic glee at a blue will-o-wisp in his palm "such an unruly element, has a life all it's own." He then reduced the papers to a charred crisp.

* * *

**With the other Ghoul Lords, they were keeping watch over the dimensional cage Bjorn created to keep Bane and Kami...that was when they sensed a power actually rising instead of falling within.**

"Tsu Chen...do you feel that?" Bartalos said with widening eyes as his two companions nodded as Tsu Chen replied "Such an increase in power...in such a short amount of time is unheard of"

"...until now, that is" Briarios said darkly, standing away from the others and leaning against a tree with his arms folded with a discontent look on his face "before this bloodshed truly ends we will have to get our respective colonies in order...even shed some blood ourselves, the only reason I detested being a Ghoul Lord was because I couldn't shed enough blood but now..." He paused, looking at his palm for a moment "this prison no longer seems to affect these two's powers...this trial should be one for the books, eh Bartalos?"

Bartalos sneered "it sure would be interesting to see what'll happen if any of us were stupid enough to break our deemed 'unbreakable' and 'never-to-be-broken-even-by-a-Ghoul-Lord' rules although banishment, even death should be the least of the problems for these two."

Within the prison, Bane was attacking the walls hoping to break through as Kami fought just to stay conscious, unaware yet that it was his powers that were being felt from beyond these walls as Bane sat away from Kami, preferring not to be swat at again and stared at him in horror as the antsy but cautious at the moment Ghoul's eyes were beginning to close slowly despite his effort to keep himself conscious "Kami...are you alright?"

Kami didn't even seem to hear him as he thought _'what's happening...to...me?'_ His mind rages _'we haven't been here even close to long enough for either of us to be this weakened!'_

**His mind turned back time to when Bane had rescinded his dark half's offer.**

* * *

**Earlier, within Kami's mind as he faced a smiling Dark Kami...**

**'Will you take my offer now?'** Dark Kami raised his hand to take Kami's as he looked with slight curiousity despite his voice betrayed that curiosity "Let's get this over with" he took Dark Kami's hand and they were both enveloped by near blinding light..Kami woke up feeling different ever since.

_'Take your revenge, boy, while you still can!'_ Kami's voice rang out in Bane's mind as his body moved of it's own accord, too weak to resist it's allure "Kami!"

Bane lunges at the Ghoul Lord from the air, but this time he heard and retaliated extra viciously raising his hand and creating an invisible shield of scalding heat with an immense gravitational push _"Shinra tensei bureijingu"_ (Blazing Shinra Tensei) smashing Bane against the wall with his variation of one of Lord Bjorn's spells and since this wall is too strong for even Kami himself to have a very hard time breaking, he bashed his head as well, causing him to bleed as he fell to the ground.

Then Kami got to his feet but fell face first to the ground, the life seemingly drained from him causing a change in appearance as his black hair turned to a silvery, bone white and he looked like he'd turned feral as it spiked dangerously and lengthened as he muttered weakly "...interesting"

**Bane, recovering from the blow, saw his chance and jumped at Kami only for him to miss being incinerated as the man began breathing black flames as Bane kicked his chin to shut his mouth but Kami snarled, still spilling fire from the corners of his parted lips and kicked him across the head, spinning him again into the wall but he landed on his feet causing a shockwave on the wall as he dashes back in and kicks Kami in the chest as he slides back but rose a minute later, twice as angry.**

Kami readied a powerful fire blast from his hands, which were orange hot as he knew that despite Bane's training from that fool, Scar, he has no know magical abilities or experience with it for that matter and relied more on his shadows but Bane showed his tutelage in Fire as he matched Kami with an obviously weaker blast, Wind, given who his father is and the Hurricane force winds that emanated from his very being and Darkness to a weak extent by the dark aura Kami could feel but Bane himself couldn't.

"You think you can win a tug-o-war against me, brat?!" Kami's eyes widens as Bane's fire turned dark purple while his, to the black Amaterasu "I've lived more than ten times ten of your lifetime to lose to a mere spark, let me teach you how a real Adept uses magic!" His flames grew as Bane's shrank and he was easily overwhelmed but he emerged with his body completely black, showing that although his shadow protected him from his would-be death, it was not only a subconscious, but completely self-conscious entity residing in his body but his eyes widened when it roughly formed a body with its head draped over Bane's shoulder and was lit in black flames that he knew exactly what protected him, Amaterasu itself.

**Kami was officially disgusted and losing the battle with his dangerously short temper.**

* * *

**Elsewhere, Yamamoto, Ryuken, Yang and Tsujin had returned Ryuken's home with the humans in tow where Yamamoto found his years of gathered information on Kami Kurosaki gone without a trace, putting everyone on edge.**

Yamamoto snarls "Who could've done this?" He looked at all his old photos of Kami and all his other belongings in the room scattered and some destroyed by unknown magical means as Ryuken entered the room followed by one of the humans to see him punch the table and split it in two as the human, a man with white hair and light green eyes, stepped back amazed but scared to death "We should look around for those Ghoul Lord guys...right?" He avoided eye contact with Yamamoto who paled at the thought of his white hair as he replied curiously "human, is that the natural color of your hair?"

The man, Ranmaru touched his head "uh, hai" he nodded "Can I ask why?"

"Nothing, I just have a bad feeling about Kami's and Bane's fate...that's all" He looked at Tsujin "Where's Tsume-chan?"

Tsujin growled "I think she went to J'onn's library...maybe there we could get what we seek" Tsujin had an unsure look on his face, he looked troubled.

**Downstairs, Yang and Nobunaga were having a stare down, they know of each other and Yang, with his current heightened distrust of human, especially the GEC, coupled with what he could only assume Kami wanted from him made these two very dangerous to leave alone with each other.**

"So what's this Bane like?" Nobu asks as he sat across from Yang who leaned against the wall "Why do you care what my son's like?"

"As I said, I owe him-" Nobu said before Yang cut him off with a demonic look in his eye "What you owe him is none of my business, you said Kami intended to make him kill you, why?"

"I won't tell you until you explain why you don't trust me" Nobu rose to his feet "Kami's known for getting help when he wants it, even from his supposed enemies...I don't know yet if you're telling the truth but let me make one thing crystal clear..." He stepped up, looking the taller man straight in the eye making him flinch against his will but not back down "I won't EVER trust any of you humans, you tried to use mere townsfolk to kill me a few days ago and I'll kill you if you think you'll lay a hand on Bane"

"That's a bit harsh, ain't it?" A female voice said as Mashiro Kuso stepped out meeting Yang on his way to the door "and where do ya think you're going when I'm not finished talking?"

"You sure like talking a lot, don't you, human?" he grabbed her arm that she put in his way "my wife's at the library, I'm going to bite your damn arm off if you or it gets in my way again" he warned Nobu's former partner dangerously.

"I'll join you..." Ryuken said, leaving no room to complain "we need to talk and it can't wait."

Ryuken looked adamant as he glared at the woman "Do me a favor, if we're allies, try not to antagonize the local Bingies"

Yang then sprinted off to the library, more concerned about Tsume than losing Ryuken, who at the moment wasn't far behind "We all have problems with humans, what's yours?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mashiro looked at Nobu who shrugged "I don't know, but your guess is as good as mine...better question is why you're here..." Mashiro looked like she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar as she touched his face but he moved and warned "I warned you that if you touched me again, I'd break your arms, don't push me"

**Yang and Ryuken were moving like blurs through the suddenly almost overpopulated city, oddly silent as they were fast and good at parkour.**

"I went back to the humans...hoping to salvage what little sentimental belongings I had left, I saw something" Yang's eyes widened for a moment, he heard something as they closed in on the library.

Yang put his hand in Scar's way as he looked tempted to break the man's arm "Wait...who is that?"

* * *

**Bjorn then came out and confronted Rin, as the Ghoulish monstrosity looked less than amused and glared at the Ghoul Lord who was aware not of his power, but that he was dangerous to anything that got in his way.**

"The bride..." Rin demanded as Bjorn smiled like the calm psychopath he was, interrupted "...is not coming, so you'll leave this place unless you want a big foot down your tiny throat" Bjorn, despite how pleasant he seemed compared to Kami, was very rude and despised lying as he touched the ground "Flux..." Bjorn snarled lowly as what looked like a shadow moved from him to Rin before encircling him with a low buzzing sound then rising up and forming a sphere around him, set to explode and take him with it on the Ghoul Lord's word as he raised his hand and the more he closed his hand, the smaller the sphere got until black electricity danced around it and Bjorn's eyes widened and he tried to move but was too late as it exploded and knocked him back.

**Tsume and the Angel rushed out, Tsume with her shadows and Arc bare handed but he grabbed Tsume and knocked Arc against the wall next to the down Bjorn.**

Ryuken did his best to restrain Yang but he confronted Rin _"Nē, anata wa sono hanayome ni te o furenaide kudasai"_ (Hey, don't you touch that bride) Yang said all too calmly as the wind suddenly stopped due to his powers before he created two swords from the air itself and charged at Rin _"Tatsumaki"_ (Tornado) as with one swing he created a twister strong enough to pick houses off the ground, lifting Rin and dropping him on his face.

Rin seemed unbothered by the pain and gave the two Ghouls a pissed glare "You meddlesome insects...I'll kill you and maybe master will be pleased and not punish me" Rin then snapped his fingers as multiple will-o-wisps appeared around them with Yang's name on it "Die..." causing the two Ghouls to bob and weave to evade incineration.

"Enough of this charade" Scar growled as he caught one of the will-o-wisps and crushed it "the fatal flaw with willows, they're as easy to destroy as they are destructive"

"Your master's day will come soon enough" Yang's eyes glowed scarily as objects spiraled around him dangerously "you, on the other hand..."

**Yang gave an uncharacteristic demonic smile, mirroring the man who raised him as he raised one hand and a vortex of air was ready to suck the oxygen right out of Rin as Tsume looked on in horror, for the first time genuinely afraid of her husband**

"Yang!" Tsume yelled as she used her shadows to hold him but the winds made it so the the shadows couldn't touch him "stop"

"Bjorn can handle this..." Bjorn raised his hand, creating a portal inside Rin before it sucked him in, spitting him out somewhere outside the city before both he and Yang fell unconscious.

"What happened to them?" Tsume went to Yang's side and saw that he was still alive and barely breathing in his unconsciousness.

"Overuse of magic can be quite dangerous..." J'onn said stepping out as Ryuken narrowed his eyes _'he's far too calm about this...then again, there's no point in worrying as they're both unwilling to just die this easily'_

"Bjorn must have overdone it prior to coming here" J'onn looked at the two "and I guess it was prior to his arrival here...there's also the matter of Kami's pet" he ushered them in as he carried Bjorn and Ryuken carried Yang, still amazed before turning to Tsujin behind him.

"Tsujin...find them" Ryuken turned with the same stunned look on his face, but something else as he replied "Who's 'them' exactly?"

Ryuken elbowed him in the face, breaking the bridge of his nose and sending him to the ground as he growled "Son of a-!" But the Ghoul stood over him, his golden glare shimmering and not in a good way "Teme, find Kami and Bane obviously and that thing is still alive, find out why if you can and I doubt you'd allow it to get in your way"

**Tsujin nodded and took off into the forest to find Kami and Bane in who knows where.**

Tsujin jumped and flipped through the trees looking like the devil himself "I owe those two a bit of payback and with Oto-san, Yang unconscious, Yamamoto too busy with his destroyed stuff and Scar simply not in the mood to keep his eye on me, maybe I could get a straight answer from these two concerning my brother"

**Tsujin moves fast through the forest, so much that he doesn't notice a giant man with dark skin, grey eyes and hair white as snow was in the shadows...**

_"Nun ja, was haben wir denn hier?"_ (Well well...what do we have here?) The Ghoul said in a deep voice and thick German accent, he was here as a traitor to Bjorn and Kami's ally but was forced to remain hidden as neither Ghoul Lord was known to be merciful, especially to traitors like himself "he looks delicious, I hope Kami won't mind if I delay our meeting to take a chunk out of one of his Ghouls...always loved Japanese food"

His mind monitored Bjorn's, knowing that the moment the Ghoul Lord was awake again he'd have to retreat to the shadows...this rarely deterred Bjorn though, so he had to be on guard as German ghouls were usually bigger than their Japanese brothers and loyalty was of highest importance...breaking such loyalty, especially as a confidant to his very perceptive and mindful Ghoul Lord like Bjorn was usually punishable by worse things than death, he could be banished...if he was lucky, being responsible for the somewhat failed coupé back home that Bjorn is well aware about already. His name was Rambos...Sebastian Rambos and he was very hungry with Tsujin like a deer in the headlights as he smiled "Let's play 'first to die is ze winner', little Ghoul" he disappeared with a dark laugh.

**Tsujin looked back...he could've sworn he heard laughing a while ago but ignored it for the moment thinking that Scar had just sent him to his funeral here.**

"That's it...If I'm going to die here, at least I'll see you again, nii-san" Tsujin closed his eyes and let the tears flow "hopefully I'll bring Kami's rotten ass with me too"

"Aw, is that so?" Rambos growled appearing and surprising Tsujin as he bounced off of him and almost out of the trees "I'm afraid Hell only has reserves for one today...after you tell me where I can find Kurosaki then get in my stomach"

"I knew this was too easy..." Tsujin scowled, he hated that Germans were so much bigger than Japanese, even if they weren't Binge Eaters "but sorry, I'm only going to Hell on my terms and I'd warn you, getting in my way when I'm in a bad mood isn't the smartest stunt to pull."

"You're talking like you've already won..." Rambos laughed hauntingly as he was evil incarnate "show me that Japanese tenacity and determination of yours...you'll need it, as I won't even need my Kakugan to tear you limb from limb" he looked Tsujin straight in the eye as he stood on a branch above him.

* * *

**Further ahead of Tsujin, the Ghoul Lords were still waiting for Bjorn as they could sense Tsujin and Sebastian on their way to them and was ready to stop them if they had to.**

"Where could he be?" Tsu Chen's patience was waring thin as Bartalos was deathly serious, his patience having already run out "Someone's coming..." He punch his empty hand with his fist, he could tell one of the two were not from Japan and determined to grind them to dust if they were from his country, he felt like his pride was being taken lightly with the news that each of their colonies harboured traitors and Mario Bartalos' pride was not to be trifled with unless they fancied him crushing their skulls with his bare hands.

"This is worrying..." The two turned back to see Briarios touching the prison holding Kami and Bane "they should be barely conscious now, but they seem to be getting stronger instead and if this keeps up...well, let's just hope Bjorn can keep this up as well unconsciously as he can while conscious"

"Figure that one out all by yourself?" Tsu Chen smirked earning a glare as Briarios countered "I may be lazy, but I don't need to be a genius to figure something like that out...dumb shits" he scowled at the Ghoul Mistress "If only those two could hurry up, I'm bored and I want to kill something...one"

**A/N - With Kami and Bane trying to kill each other and a experimented on Ghoul trying to get back into the city to find it's supposed master, Kami...can Tsujin defeat the German Ghoul and make it to Kami and what will he do then? R&amp;R**


	18. Chapter 18

**Don't Be Afraid of the Dark**

**Chapter 18**

**Azazel stood atop one of the most mind bendingly tall buildings in the city, he was closest to where Tsujin was and the Demon Lord has officially had enough and was very angry and quiet.**

"I think those two have finally outlived their usefulness" Azazel said as strange orbs appeared around him...he wasn't certain why and could care less how but summoning a Demon to do his bidding here was nearly impossible as he looked at the orbs "Bide your time, my demon, soon you will have a Ghoul Lord in your stomach" a breath only emanated from one of the orbs as a dark voice whispered expectantly and excitedly _'I can't wait... Lord Azazel'_

* * *

**He then left as they disappeared for now, going towards the forest Tsujin entered earlier in search of Kami. With Tsujin, he was currently thinking of a way out of fighting or being eaten alive by the larger German.**

"Don't tell me that's all you've got, little muffin" Sebastian stood on a branch, holding Tsujin upside down by his ankle and licking his lips as Tsujin growled, having hated Muffins since he was human "Don't make that estimation before the fight even begins, fool" Tsujin kicked his wrist causing him to drop him as he replied "we'll see who's the fool and the name is Tsujin, NOT anything else"

**Tsujin landed on the dry forest floor but back flipped away from a vortex of black mist-like shadow crushing him which revealed Sebastian as he thought of running but stood his ground revealing that he has a mastery of controlling the Earth itself why Kami could've trusted him as much as he did.**

He created a fist behind him and punched the Ghoul a great distance back "I told you, not to take me lightly" as Rambos simply sat up with a scary grin on his face before dissolving into a shadow and revealing a piece of wood.

"So that's what you can do" he reappeared but was already behind Tsujin mid-lunge from the air with a strange blade but missed him by a hair as he caught a kick to the chest with his free hand "I feel like a lucky man, wanna know why?"

"Should I care really?" Tsujin said absently as he missed a dagger through his throat but he dodged, scratching his cheek instead but the German sneered at Tsujin's ankle in his grasp again as he swung him bodily "Let me see you fly!" He sent him rocketing straight up into the stratosphere. He fell a distance away a minute later.

**Tsujin opened his eyes slowly, he had to use a powerful set of spells unique only to him to obliterate this guy... He had an idea that Kami knew he was special but hadn't figured out just how much power Tsujin really had and just didn't use as his preferred spells weren't as much Earth related than it was to Sand.**

**Tsujin's Sand Barrier spell created an absolute defense against physical and non-physical attacks alike and acted on it's own accord once cast, much like Kami's Amaterasu though more closely linked to his emotions which were all over the place right now.**

Nonetheless, Rambos' dark magic seemed to have grown in mass suddenly...Tsujin guessed they may be ties to what little emotion he lets other see all the same.

"You won't lay another hand on me" Tsujin commanded his sand as his personality became even more sadistic than Kami and Yang combined as his voice changed "I'll build you a nice Sand Coffin to die in...slowly" as one of his blank, evil eyes stared at him through his parted fingers "your face is so aggravating to me, I know...how about I rip it off!" The sand twirled around his arm and leg, then spiked out and by the look on Sebastian's face, his arm and leg was crushed as the sand then proceeded to whip around and slam him on the ground.

**Tsujin wasted no time in leaving him there and continuing his journey, but what he don't notice was that Sebastian still preparing a last minute spell to enter Tsujin's body.**

"Still alive..." Sebastian taunted quietly, steadying his palm aimed at Tsujin disappearing through the trees "Spirit Transference...never turn your back on me unless you're _sure_ I'm dead" as his eyes turned a deathly white and his hand fell, releasing a shadow that moved from his, now dead body, to Tsujin's shadow. Azazel then appeared then crushing his skull under his foot, as his body turned to stone, before following Tsujin.

"You seem to be in a hurry..." Azazel said creeping up on the Ghoul, who whipped out his sword and swung at his face _"Anata no torappu o shatto!"_ (Shut your trap!) but stopped short noticing it to just be Azazel, which didn't make him any more jolly _"Doko ni jigoku anata wa ko no subete no jikan o sa rete imasu?!"_ (Where the hell have you been all this time?!) He snapped as Azazel simply sneered at him "What are you planning to do once you get to the Ghoul Lords, hm, save the man you intend to seek your pointless vengeance against?"

Tsujin flinched as Rambos' face appeared in his eyes for a second as Rambos thought, hiding his thoughts from Tsujin's _'Bjorn's awake...let's hope he's not aware of my presence'_

**Elsewhere, back in the city, Scar was watching over his stubborn friend and a Ghoul Lord who could make the mind his own playground, he was as distrustful as Yang, just not as paranoid but was concerned that both won't ever awaken under his watch until Bjorn groaned and was sitting up before anyone saw him move, his hand over his face before looking at said hands.**

"What...happened?" Bjorn growled startling Tsume as she entered with tea, if the two woke up though he didn't look at her at all.

She was sure that he could sense her fear and presence but didn't seem to care right now "Tea?" She offered, causing him to clench his fists tightly before even noticing someone else in the room as he replied "Sorry...Bjorn not felling too well at the moment" he extended a hand to Tsume, who smiled at him then looked at the broken wall "Where's J'onn?"

**Tsume simply pointed at the other room where the wall Bjorn was thrown through earlier reconstructed itself. Bjorn just stared at the wall with an embarrassed look in his eye.**

"The one who used the Wind Magic...where is he?" He looked at a worried Tsume who pointed at the sleeping bag in the corner, Yang in it awake but faking sleep to toy with Tsume and poke her while she wasn't looking.

Tsume glared at his as she felt the poke "Yang, don't mess with me, baka!" as she punched and missed his face as he woke up.

"Watch it, I'm tryin' to take a nap here!" He snapped as Tsume scowled "and since when do Ghouls sleep?"

"Care to tell what's going on and where Tsujin and Ryuken are?" He growled

As if on cue, Scar entered the room "I heard there's been more outsiders appearing in town, would you like it if we show them a little hospitality, Yang?"

"Why not, but you're not even concerned that I may have just died?" Yang asked but Scar didn't show an outward emotion to it as he knew how little Yang cared for his wellbeing or life anyway as he smirked "Like you'd care about that."

The entire time, Bjorn was staring away into space, the others looking worried "Oy, you alright?" Yang asks as Bjorn nodded "Bjorn is fine, just thought he-" the Ghoul Lord stopped saying anything "J'onn, we're leaving!" He yelled at J'onn who was in the other room as he came in with a grim expression, despite Kami's hardships and the things he's done, he felt that he was in as much pain as his victims right now, for some reason as he replied "I'm coming" he also knew this only happened once Kami met Bane, though it was neither of their faults.

**Bjorn raised his hand, opening a portal straight to Kami's location.**

"What about Yamamoto?" Tsume asks "Shouldn't he be here?"

"Bjorn feels sorry for his loss" Bjorn said "he must be catching up with his clansmen...while they catch up with reality"

"I'm here..." They turned to see Yamamoto, a scowl planted on his face as Yang's eyes widened that he came with a man twice his size and looked twice as pissed as they assumed Yamamoto was right now "I don't agree with rescuing Kami, just so you know but I have some new training regimens planned for my new sparring partner, Asakura Bane."

Yang nodded, looking at the Ghoul with Yamamoto "Who's he?"

The Ghoul then stepped forward and bowed _"Watashi wa Hamura gozen"_ (I am Hamura) the man, Hamura said in deep, calm, almost scary voice as he had a more muscular build than Yamamoto who was also shorter than him by a few inches as well as his eyes glowed a soft white for a moment _"Watashi wa kami ga... Kare wa amarini mo kikendearu tōgoku sa reta mama hitsuyō ga arimasuga, watashi wa sore ga dochira ka eien ni kare o dakishime utagau yō, wareware wa atode no tame no shōkai o hozon suru hitsuyō ga arimasuda to omoimasu"_ (I think Kami should stay imprisoned...he is too dangerous, but we must save introductions for later as I doubt it'll hold him forever either)

Yang doesn't trust the quiet man but agreed with a smirk "I say we go as a group..." but Hamura was ready for him "we'll cover more ground if we split up between us and the humans" his eye ventured to Tsume as he licked his bottom lip "Yama-san is like a brother to me and I'll walk through Hell and even fight that dog, Kami for him"

* * *

**Hours later, the group split up with Tsume, Hamura, Yang and Ryuken together...Yang determined to remove Hamura's curiosity with Tsume.**

"It's clear you're not a Ghoul...but definitely not a human either" Hamura took a deep inhale too close to Tsume for Yang's comfort "Whatever, you smell good..."

Yang and Ryuken were walking behind the two in the forest as Scar was ignoring them until Yang nudged him "Scar...I hate him"

"What's wrong with you...he's like a brother to Yamamoto and only curious" Ryuken chuckled a bit "I never saw you as one to be jealous"

"I'm not jealous..." Yang snarls "they're just too close for my comfort" Yang's skin crawled as he watched Hamura carry Tsume on his back.

"Yang-san...please don't waste you're jealousy on the likes of me" Hamura said looking Yang in the eye, apparently they thought he was deaf to not be hearing them "I honestly don't wish to impede on your relationship...she's not even my type and I'm only curious." Yang remained silent with only a nod, now he wanted to break this man's neck if he didn't have the advantage that Yang was smaller than him and was uncertain of his capabilities.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Kami and Bane were still at each other's throats, not knowing that they would soon be freed to face their destinies, though Kami is only concerned about his survival only.**

"Tell me..." Bane said angrily as half his body was enveloped in shadows "...what was the point of you doing all of this?"

"What?" Kami said before laughing "What does it matter, I deserve to give those sorry excuses for Ghoul Lords what they deserve and guess who I'll tear up the second we're free from this infernal place"

Bane looked worried and Kami knew why "that's right, I'll serve you the head of my undeserving student, Hiachi Yang after he watches dear Tsume-chan bare MY child on her deathbed!"

Bane charged with all his rage and sent his wind propelled fist to Kami's face "not while my heart beats!" But although the punch was enough to send Kami flying for miles, he didn't move an inch and took it to the side of his face with a dark look in his orange eyes.

"Speaking of your heart..." He grabbed Asakura's wrist with breaking force and held him in the air "I'll be taking it now" he prepared his other hand to rip it out.

"Don't move so much..." Kami squeezed his wrist until he heard a crack, noting how easily he could break a Ghoul's bones, which were still naturally denser and stronger than human bones why they could survive life threatening attacks with little to no trouble depending on age as well as experience, but didn't let up "I'll break you in two if I have to for MY new heart"

* * *

**Outside the prison, Tsujin was there ready to free it's occupants with no Ghoul Lords in sight and Azazel dealing with the Ghoul Mistress as the other two weren't seen.**

"Why are you here...admit it, you're here for me, aren't you?" Tsu Chen blew a kiss at the Demon Lord as he face palmed hard and replied "Not really, but you remind me of someone who is just as horny and annoying, if not more"

Tsu Chen looked to see Tsujin at the prison "and why would I care what you think?"

She looks back at Azazel to see him coming fast with rapid kicks "Do. Not get the idea that I care about your pathetic excuse for a non existent government or ideals and turning your back on me is very rude...I'm also aware of your touch and brought a friend" the orbs around the Demon Lord combined, creating a seal on the ground.

**Out of the seal crawled Datrios...one of Azazel's strongest greater demons who has been starving himself, he had four arms and a scar over his right eye, usually keeping it shut as well as the older brother of one of Azazel's other demons who'd later become a greater demon, Maxidan, who also lost his extra arms for taking humans lightly. He wielded four swords in each four taloned hand with skill surpassed by none, be it human or demon, but Azazel himself.**

"I am your opponent now" Datrios purred, pulling out and showing off his 2 freshly sharpened swords and 2 dual bladed Masamune "Let's see those hands touch me and leave in one peace" he said, well aware of her acidic touch.

"I'll get you her head" Datrios said excitedly as he parried the Ghoul Mistress' attack meant for Azazel with one sword "Go and leave me to my fun, save the boy"

**Azazel made it to where he could see the prison to see Tsujin about to touch the prison but was stopped by the other two Ghoul Lords.**

_'Just a little more'_ Rambos said through Tsujin's lips but with his own voice, Tsujin's consciousness being swallowed slowly by his _'and you'll be free, milord-'_

Then his words were cut by Bartalos coming down on him from above with his palms "Not so fast, señor!" But missed him by inches as he jumped back and Bartalos rose with a rock in his hand "I missed...but this is what I'll do to your skull, once it's in my grasp"

_'That was too close'_ Rambos thought, feeling Tsujin's mind waking up _'Where'd the other one go?'_

"Looking for me?" Briarios said as he appeared quickly before him as he moved his fists like blurs at near the speed of sound without tiring and Tsujin could barely dodge them all as Bartalos attacked as well.

**He jumped into the air to evade the two but Briarios came at him with a kick which he blocked and got thrown through the forest.**

"You two seem to be having fun..." Bartalos swore he heard a voice only to see a disembodied hand hanging out of a portal, holding Tsujin by the back of his shirt and he was conscious and peeved as Briarios said "That hand..." He then smiled wickedly "Lord Bjorn, I thought you weren't going to be back here until the trial" as the portal opened fully revealing Bjorn, Yang, Tsume, Ryuken, Yamamoto as well as an enigmatic Hamura.

Hamura spared no pleasantries with the Ghoul Lords, all he wanted was them tearing Kami limb from limb as an idea concerning Lord Bjorn crossed his mind "Ey, Ghoul Lord...if you could open a portal to practically anywhere in existence you can think of, as well as transport parts of your own body to other places, couldn't you just put Kami's heart back where it was..." Hamura's stoicism faded for a moment "...or split apart what's left of him across the world and dimensions?"

"That's not exactly a bad idea actually" Yang said with a sad look "I don't think I can watch that though, regardless of what he's become, I once looked up to Kami even before all this Ghoul Lord business"

"Doing that is easier said than done as well" Bjorn said "Kami will not exactly stay one place and make things easy for Bjorn but it isn't impossible"

"Lord Azazel..." Everyone turned to see Datrios walking up with a smirk, shaking a bit of blood off his swords while examining his own minor wounds "she ran off before I could really get to have fun with her...pity"

"Took your pretty damn time getting here, didn't you?" Azazel appeared before them still pissed off as he looked at all the Ghoul Lords, not knowing who had the ability to open or close the prison.

**Bjorn walked to the prison and slammed his palm on the ground, revealing Bane and Kami, most of the group gasping at his new appearance of snow white hair and a slight darkness to his skin, due to the lack of sunlight while Bane looked the same except for the temporarily darker skin tone.**

Bjorn was ready for a fight from either of the two, while keeping his eye on Tsujin who he felt something strangely too familiar about.

"You two have anything to say for yourselves before we begin?" Bartalos asks as Bane snapped "I'm innocent in this!"

"Until you're proven innocent, we decide your fates" Briarios said, a suddenly calm albeit murderous nature taking him over "be lucky, we could kick you out of the city to the far less merciful humans, child" but Bane was quick to bite back "just go ahead and try!"

Briarios was the type of Ghoul Lord that, although he didn't force others to respect him like Kami, he could make them do as they're supposed to why newcomers that often pass through him and wish they never met him afterwards but respect him to the point that they know what they're in for if they got on his bad side as he was even more enigmatic than Bjorn. He wasn't as angry at Kami as he was at Bane as his knuckles cracked as he clenched his fist tightly "Disrespectful little..." His dark hair darkened even more as it covered his eyes a bit and he stepped forward to a slightly cringing Bane but Bjorn's arm in his way stopped him "calm down...we needn't resort to such measures or he'll never respect you."

"Want to bet?" His eyes looked into Bane's "have anything you want to say, mister 'awefully quite considering his situation'?" He looked at Kami who was staring at Tsujin and Yang and otherwise ignoring everyone else "If you didn't like Bane's words, you won't be any less pleased with mine" he still didn't acknowledge the existence of his colleagues "I already know my fate is sealed and I'll be banished, if not killed, so I'll humbly tell you to go fuck yourselves!" That was when his eyes met J'onn's, his rage and pain becoming evident "awfully quiet there, J'onn" he looked at his former master who looked torn as he charged at them, but Bjorn was ready, restraining the two with Shadow Chains, which couldn't be broken even by a Ghoul who could manipulate shadows like Bane.

"Are you..." Kami said, looking stunned before his scowl returned "Tell me you're not weeping for me, J'onn?"

Indeed, he saw J'onn's eyes full of tears as he looked at Bane, who bowed shamefully for his disrespect of Briarios, then back to Kami as he took a few steps back.

"My apologies...this is out of my hands now" he places him hand on Bjorn's shoulder, Kami knew he was sad for Bane, probably him too, as this wasn't J'onn's nature as he sniffed "Humans are in the city...you actually allowed this?" He asked as J'onn simply nodded.

"Let the trial..." Bjorn said "...commence" he looked to find Azazel scowling and looking at Kami who lowered his head slightly glaring at him.

A distance away, a human GEC member stood at a high point with his sniper aimed at Bane, then to Kami who shot him glare that gave him other thoughts before aiming at Bjorn but a hand on his shoulder stopped as he turned in time to get Yang's fist in his nose before Yang growled "Do not interfere..." He then lifted him with one hand and punched him harder two or three more times as he tilted his head "Will you interfere again?" He asked the bloodied man as he readied to hit him again as he rose his hand "No...just do not hit me...again"

Yang then dropped him and continued observing his son from a distance "Beware, Kami...you'll regret this, I promise" he looked back at the human and licked his lips "Come here..." But the man kept his distance especially when Yang licked his bloody fist "When I find that Angel, I'll rip his ass in half too..." He said murderously knowing there was a traitor amidst.

**A/N - With Bane and Kami's judgement underway, can Yang find the traitor before he puts a stop to the trial and does Kami know the traitor's there? R&amp;R and find out!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 19**

**Yang watched the Ghoul Lords, Kami included, and Bane and at least to him they seem unsure of what to do next.**

"Where's Tsume?" Yang muttered to himself "She's gonna go ballistic if she finds that Bane was with more Ghouls, all of which are deadlier than I am and in nasty moods." His eyes widened to saucers when he found her not far from where Kami was and as he thought, she looked more murderous than Kami, who was rather docile which was a bit too much for Yang. The fact that he looked accepting of whatever fate would befall him which made every hair on Yang's body stand on end, maybe because Bane may get the equal punishment, he was unsure but knew that only one of the two deserved to be punished, even more so after the reveation that he sexually abused his son...if Kami's desire is to have a child, Yang, despite the respect he barely clings to for Kami, will make sure that dream becomes his nightmare.

**With the Ghoul Lords, they were going to separate into groups, each with either Kami or Bane who won't see each other until the trial begins.**

"Briarios..." Bartalos purred curiously as Briarios turned to him with a scowl but answered a bit too calmly if Bane was asked, his eyes boring into each Ghoul Lord "Yes?"

"You will take Bane into the forest that way" Bjorn pointed into the forest behind Briarios as he glances behind him "go as far as you wish, just come back at the full moon tonight"

"I object" Bane said as Mario looked at him and replied "Silence, boy or I will slap you into the next century"

"I'm coming as well" Tsume said as Mario looked at her and smirked and Bane scowled as Kami, whose back was turned sent a fiery glare his way. All of which he ignored.

"Bartalos..." Bjorn said as Bartalos interrupted with a raised hand "I'll go into the mountains with Kami here, just don't lecture me...I can have as much fun with him as long as I don't kill him and you can keep the bambina or I might kill her annoying ass" he lifted the bound Kami off the ground with one hand, choking him from behind as he fought for air then dropped him as he snapped "No way...at least not without my Tsume-chan" he didn't look into her eyes but smiled evilly, Johnson growled at him "What makes you think you have any say in this matter?!" He hissed as for the second time since this mess started, Kami averted his eyes from Johnson Briarios' dark green eyes but he was well aware why "Why don't you ever look me in the eye?"

"You tried to eat me as a child" Kami said with a scowl "I don't look into the eyes of someone I don't trust"

"Aw, You remember that?" He held Kami's wrist strong enough that he wasn't hurt but couldn't get it away either and smiled darkly "I wonder if your fingers taste as good as an adult as they did when you were a kid..." He played with Kami's fingers with a small sadistic smile as Kami tried to tug his hand away only to hear cracking bones as Kami wanted to pound his face to smithereens by the look of his face and fell as he was let go and fell to the side as proof to Bane and the others that he was the last person you want to hand wrestle or get choked by and despite Kami's size advantage over him, he had the greater physical strength of the two.

"The next smart threat out of you will be your last" Briarios whispered sweetly in his ear but everyone heard as the group separated as Bjorn caught Tsujin trying to sneak after Briarios and Kami, who left for their mountain trek promptly, same for Bartalos, Tsume, Bane and the demon who seem to prefer being by Bane's side for now as they went to the forest.

"We're going to J'onn's, da?" Bjorn smirked pulling Tsujin to walk with him, mostly so he could get a peek into his mind which he is suddenly apprehensive of as he replied "but my friend needs me" he attempted to run off behind Briarios but was drawn back to Bjorn's hand like a magnet as he yelped "Oy, don't manhandle me!"

"Would you prefer Briarios manhandling you instead?" Bjorn asked, smiling like a snake as Tsujin's eyes widened at just seeing him strangle the likes of Kami as he shook his head, finding something was animalistic about him, like a true wolf in sheep's clothing "...then let's go see J'onn, they'll be fine."

* * *

**With Yang, he watched as the three Ghoul Lords went their separate way was wondering why Tsujin was so adamant to be at Kami's side rather than Bane's, but wasn't expecting a sneak attack from Tsu Chen.**

"Do you want something from me?" Yang said, aware of her presence for a while now as he evaded her touch to see the concrete where his head just was melt like butter as he scowled and she smirked "Why are you spying, it's not like you can change their fates now?" She spoke of Kami and Bane as he scowled and walked past her replying "I am very murderous when it comes to my family, don't fuck with me, Milady..." He tried to be respectful but Tsu Chen wasn't letting him off as easily as he thought as she touched the front of his shirt and he jumped back and away to see the front of his shirt melt with the epitome of annoyance written on his already pissed off face _"Kuso"_ (Damn)

"Don't walk off on me while I'm talking to you" Tsu Chen snarled as he saw the still healing puncture, stab and slash wounds littering her body but Yang was done being nice now as he snarled _"Watashi wa chikau... Watashi no inakamono no hakujin yarō no hōhō no uchi shutoku matawa mo, anata wa sore o kōkai shimasu"_ (Get out of my goddamn way or even you will regret it...I swear) and Tsu Chen slammed her hand on the ground "know your place" she melted most of the ground as he jumped into the air to evade, but was caught mid air as she tried an intimate approach. Yang's body, however turned to smoke and temporarily blinds her as the real Yang takes off from behind her.

**Yang knows he's lucky to have survived it but felt like it was too easy as he stopped in his track hearing the Ghoul Mistress laughing. He then became the ruthless and far more powerful Yin and scowled darkly at her.**

"Something funny?" Yin turned to her with a serious expression as she stopped laughing only a bit "I'm just surprised with you having that sexier, darker side to yourself and it's aware of your existence, that Kami-boy became a Ghoul Lord over you" she seemed to be talking to Yang and not Yin.

Yin flinched "it?" As his head hung.

If there was one thing Yin loathed was being referred to as a 'it' as he was as much a person as Yang is, despite their difference in interests, and being called weak.

"I was going to spare you cuz you're a woman..." Yin was now walking back to her before raising his head with a wide but evil and haunting smile as she replied "And..."

"...I changed my mind, all of a sudden" Yin said thoughtfully "the sudden urge has overcome me and I just want to knock those ugly, bothersome teeth of yours out now!"

"Someone needs a little kiss..." Tsu Chen said as Yin fixed her with a cold glare, knowing that although extended physical contact with her was dangerous, those glossy, black lipsticked lips were far slower and deadlier.

"I won't fall for that..." Yin smirked keeping his distance for now "I can't do that to Yang-sama"

Tsu Chen looked at him "of course you can, you have no relationship or marriage to her or concern for it for that matter" she said as he nodded "True that I don't care, but I won't be caught dead with a hag whereas she's a bit more violent, which is good for me, and you're not even serious about your threats to kill me"

**Tsu Chen narrowed her eyes a bit and smiled as Yin got into a defensive stance, just in case while elsewhere Bartalos was moving at rapid pace through the forest then went into a full sprint, all while never loosening his grip on Kami until he stopped at the foot of his intended mountain. Kami wanted him to free him but also know the hardened Ghoul Lord couldn't climb while carrying him, regardless of his strength.**

"We're here...well almost" Bartalos peered up to the mountain until Kami clearing his throat distracted him.

"What's your problem?" Bartalos was not trying to hide the fact that he was not happy with his company as Kami finally opened his eyes with a smile on his face "Free me, then we'll climb together...that is, unless you plan to lug my dead weight behind you all the way" Kami flexed his neck "Come on, I'll behave and you could easily kill me if I try anything that's not to your liking" he tried to persuade the Ghoul Lord who was just looking at the height of the mountain rather than feeding Kami's ego.

"I think I have a better idea..." A frown creased his features as he glared at Kami from the corner of his eye as he tied a lengthened rope to the Ghoul Lord's bindings.

"Be quiet a little and this should be over in no time" he said as Kami snarled "What in the name of the Gods do you think you're doing?!" He looked even more apprehensive when he starts climbing and dragging him along "I'd rather climb on my own, baka!"

Bartalos blinked and shot a glare at Kami hanging onto a rock, determined not to be pulled any further "How embarrassing...and childish" He shook his head slightly enough that Kami almost didn't notice "I thought I'd made it clear that I didn't give a damned rat's ass what you thought, I agree that this is a waste of time though."

He tested the strong rope again, ensuring that it wouldn't break and drop Kami as he said "Alley-oop, don't fall!"

He swung the rope and threw it a distance up the mountain with a screaming, swearing Kami Kurosaki behind it as he started climbing as fast as he could. Three more times and Kami crash landed at the top, swearing madly in several languages.

* * *

**With Bane...he, Briarios, Tsume and the Demon settled in the forest. Briarios chose this time to meditate, as well as premeditate what to do when he returned home until Bane came upon him with questions he already foresaw the young man having.**

Briarios kept his distance from the group as the sat in lotus position, kept his hands close together without touching and closed his eyes...barely breathing.

Bane was nearby hiding, but sneaking closer to the Ghoul Lord before lobbing a rock at him which he caught and threw back without opening his eyes or losing posture "Asakura!" He yelled, making Bane quake in his shoes in the already dark and unnerving forest night before tilting his head and glaring at Bane who was hit in the centre of his forehead "unless you have reason to be bothering me, I suggest you go away, boy, I have little patience for pranksters" he looked around but didn't see Bane come over him from behind with a kick as the Ghoul Lord suddenly vanished, a minute later Bane was sent flying into a tree as the Ghoul Lord thought _'not bad...for a second there, I actually lost track of him there'_

He then pinned Bane to the tree by his neck, even though he was bound and unable to use his arms he still proved to be a thorn in Briarios' side "Out with it...I know you have questions" he scowled deeply "I would if I were in your shoes"

**Briarios looked back at the campfire they'd made and saw that Tsume wasn't there. She had the advantage over him in the shadow of the quiet night.**

"I don't think you want to do that, hon" Briarios smiled, tightening his grip on Bane's neck as Tsume came out with a kick to his head which missed as he growled "another step and I'll break his neck..."

Tsume stood her ground "put...him...down" Tsume said dangerously as Briarios shrugged and threw Bane into a tree near their little fire some feet away.

_"El niño está bien, o no se olvide que necesita más que eso para matar a un vampiro?"_ (The boy is fine, or did you forget that takes more than that to kill a Ghoul?) Briarios scowled turning and made eye contact with Bane before looking at Tsume _"... O ¿has olvidado ya?"_ (...or did you forget that already?)

"Bane..." Tsume said softly, about to go to him but Briarios was far from through with her, slamming her against the tree "He isn't a child, stop treating him as if he's so fragile!" He snarled at her "he will never learn to really fight for himself if you keep fighting his battles for him, especially against adversaries only he can face...think about it, you won't be around forever and when you're gone, what will he do then?"

**Bane opened his eyes to see Briarios grab his mother, but could do nothing as he turned to see a rather curious demon looking at him, his body relaxed and a smirk as his weapons were always within reach.**

"You got hit pretty hard there..." Datrios sounded amused that Bane could take a beating like that and strangulation and still stand, let alone breathe

"I'm fine..." Bane stumbled to his feet before almost falling as one of Datrios' swords landed before before he could step again, Bane glared at him "What are you doing?"

"Stop picking fights you can't win, you can't beat Kami...and he's different" the demon glanced at Briarios who looked back at them, his back turned "deadlier than that Kami, who raped and nearly killed you for you to even be close to a match for him" his eyes narrowed "this guy is much different, he _WILL_ kill you if he says he will..."

"I'll give him a fight first-" Bane said but was cut off by the demon throwing one of his muramasa a little too close for his comfort "Shut it, listen closely and don't you dare try to give me any lip or attitude!" He earned a look from the Ghoul Lord and shot a glare at Tsume not to test him "you die and go to hell, you'll find me waiting to make your eternity a literal hell before I take your body for my own and use you to kill everyone you ever knew- what are you doin', kid?"

Bane was trying to pull his muramasa out of the ground but the gigantic weapon was barely budging though moving a bit to Datrios' surprise as Bane growled "I call it getting even."

"If it's gonna get ya killed" Datrios raised his hand, drawing his weapons and evidently Bane to him "I won't allow it and get off of my weapon, stupid"

Bane did as he was told and found Tsume walking back to them but no sign of Johnson Briarios as Bane took a step back, stepping on someone's foot...looking back he saw Briarios behind him and grabbed him before he could do anything "I will put you down, don't run and I won't have to throw rocks after you, agreed?" Johnson asks as he pulls a big rock from the ground with one hand "agreed as long as you tell me what I'm being accused of"

He puts both the rock and Bane down as he said "Bjorn already gave you the gist of what your accusations are so I won't bore either of us with that...entering the city illegaly" Briarios started "that, you did not do. The legal way is to inform the Ghoul Lord that you wish to enter the city, for what purpose and state your intentions."

"That sounds too damn complicated" Tsume says as he continued "not at all, just go straight to the Ghoul Lord's residence and ask if you'll be allowed to stay, temporarily or permanently, and they decide from there. Next, provoking the Binge Eaters"

"I didn't-" Bane started but Briarios backhands him in the mouth with an icy glare "be quiet and don't interrupt again, I could care less if it was truly you intention or not, although the Clans that the Ghouls belong to have a mix of Binge Eaters and normal Ghouls but they still may not see eye to eye on everything." Bane nodded and asks "So, is Kami a Binge Eater"

"Yes, he is as am I...the Binge Eaters believe that they should eat everything they can in order just to survive, even other Ghouls while the regular Ghouls began growing tired of being fed upon and fought back" he said "most Binge Eaters are greedy, self-serving folk that should not be provoked or denied something they believe is rightfully theirs. They can be very conniving, smart and shrewd but great allies and protectors"

"If only they weren't so stupid..." Bane scowled as Briarios scowled as well with an intimidating glare "You callin' me an idiot, boy?" Bane shook his head "No..." As he looked at Tsume "they do whatever it takes to get that something, too, takes only one to kill a whole city...you have several thousand living here, Bjorn can tell you what you're in for if you get on the wrong side of one. Next question."

"Is rape a crime among Ghouls?" Tsume asks and Briarios saw it coming "Yes...and no, it is usually required to toughen up stubborn newcomers but if it is allowed to continue you'll be at that Ghoul's mercy." He gave Bane a knowing look "you must prove your strength to that Ghoul to avoid any further or permanent harm or them eating ya because you can no longer satisfy them any other way, some may not stop until you kill them and if you're uncomfortable with that, well, I don't need to go any further now, do I?" Briarios smirked and chuckled, knowing Bane didn't have what it takes to take a life yet, despite what he's been through this far "You also will need a job as well since you're old enough to do so, otherwise leave this city right now and face worse fates than death if you dare to return."

"Like what?" Bane asks cautious and curious to almost the same degree as Briarios said emotionlessly "you don't want to know, take my word for it. You'd best relax, as it'll be your last for quite some time" he chuckled a bit as he walked away "and if Kami says you smell like a human, break his nose for me"

"Why?" Bane asks as Briarios smiled "because the moment a human is bitten by a Ghoul, they lose that scent humans have within 12 hours and smell like a Ghoul and within days then ya can't digest or even eat human food anymore due to the change in out taste buds and stomachs...Ghoul stomachs can hold much more than a human's too. Kami, the dumb twit, knows this better than anyone" He smiled and licked his lips, rubbing his gut, making Tsume cringe slightly and Bane to narrow his eyes as he walked away with a chuckle but saw Tsume followed him for reasons he didn't know.

"So...you're not supposed to smell like human innards and why are you so distant from us?" Tsume asks as Briarios cringed ever so slightly without her noticing, replying "That would make it obvious that you are a Ghoul as much as it's disgusting unless you don't bathe much, princess obvious" he didn't look at her but she could tell he wasn't lying, since he had no reason to "I'm distant by my own choice...you don't want your son to die, do you?"

He raised his hand to silence her "I believe him to be guilty until proven innocent, that's how the system works" but Tsume snapped "What's 'that's how the system works' supposed to mean?!" Johnson could see that she was shaking, he figured this to be a bit dramatic for her but her melodramatic look at it was turning him off "It isn't like we asked for this"

Johnson simply laid down and closed his eyes "shut up and get some rest, you'll surely need it...you're going to have to deal with it weather you asked for it or not, stop treating life like a game. Kami will pay and your son will live to see another day...hopefully having learn a lesson, I give you my word on that."

* * *

**Bjorn has arrived to J'onn's library with Tsujin, hoping to see the temperamental Wind magic using Ghoul, Yang Hiachi but J'onn claims that he hasn't seen him or Tsu Chen.**

"J'onn...we're back" Bjorn said as he answered from far away "I'm in the back, I'm coming" J'onn said but hesitated when he saw Bjorn look at him through the door's decorated glass and shook his head.

J'onn stopped as he closed his eyes and felt a stillness in the room that felt out of place, even if he was alone, which he usually was as he felt Bjorn slip into his mind ever so gently...as if he was hiding his presence from someone else.

_'J'onn, Bjorn thinks he's found one...'_ Bjorn said telepathically the moment he entered J'onn's mind, ignoring the man's crude thoughts concerning Tsume and some females from the Hatake Clan as he forced him on one knee with a migraine as he replied _'Hey, what're you doing in here, Bjorn Tartaron?!'_ He replied furiously as he tried to get to his feet and force Bjorn out but his might was no match for Bjorn's here, even if it's his own mind.

_'Stop whining, Bjorn doesn't have the time for this and frankly, neither do you'_ Bjorn said as he looked to the side, a worried look on his face as J'onn grew serious _'you may continue...'_

_'Bjorn suspects Tsujin is under some sort of possession...'_ Bjorn said, a darker tone to his voice as J'onn said _'possessed?'_ He asked mostly himself but the Ghoul Lord nodded and looked pretty pissed about it now that J'onn noticed, unusual for a Ghoul that rarely shows his deeply suppressed emotions like anger _'you have to be assuming this'_ but J'onn knew that Bjorn was a rather spot-on man and that if he didn't know for sure what he was talking about he'd simply not bring it up under such measures or just shut up about it _'He seems to have been blocking me out of his mind the entire journey here, too strong for a Japanese Ghoul with such an easily influenced mind...he's hiding something'_ His anger has been suppressed at least to the point that he looked outwardly calm as J'onn decided to leave Bjorn's mental space _'I have an idea on how to draw out our little mouse...some cheese.'_

**Bjorn raised an eyebrow, not knowing his idea and preferring not to pry as he left his mind with nothing but a very slight not.**

* * *

**With Kami, he was trying not to be killed or knocked off the mountaintop by Bartalos who was attacking him...being bound wasn't helping either as he usually needed his hands to fight, but Kami was a master of precise impovision. He just needed to use his head as he surely can't bare the brunt of whatever Bartalos has in store for him, it might kill him though that is something he just cannot allow to happen.**

"How does it feel, Kami?" Bartalos asked standing over his bound, soon-to-be-former colleague as he quipped "Looking at your face...not any different, except I prefer it crushed under my boot"

"Bound and helpless but still got a big mouth...pity" he kicked Kami but he managed to block it by getting his restraints in the way as he was knocked almost over the edge and swung a powerful kick back at him which Bartalos blocked "so helpless, I think you've finally put yourself to good use"

"Huh, if I don't kill you first!" Kami growled kicking Amaterasu flames from his feet as he dodges the blasts but the last one hit his straight in the face as he reeled slightly before walking up and kicking Kami in the mouth before stomping on his stomach angrily "Just try it, these bindings won't stop me from planting a foot in your big mouth." Kami snapped through pained groans

"Is that so?" Bartalos walked over and stepped on Kami's throat with great strength before looking at the moon, midnight was approaching "about time I did something about your lack of respect...Kuro" Kami's eyes widened as the more he fought Bartalos' strength, the more pressure was put on his throat as he stood there, nonchalant as always, even lighting a cigarette and his eyes noticed Kami avoiding eye contact with reason "Pray to whatever Gods you worship that I'm not allowed to crush your throat fully or kill you but Bjorn Tartaron won't be able to protect you from my vengeance forever as this trial has to end sometime." Kami snarled "I don't pray to God, He prays to me!" He barely managed to say as talking hurt his injured throat now but not his burning eyes.

"Master..." Bartalos turned to a voice behind him to see Rin behind him as the former human snarled loudly "Leave master alone!"

The creature soon charged as Bartalos growled "What's this?" Then he turned making eye contact with him causing him to stop suddenly as Kami growled "Rin, why aren't you killing him, you-?"

He cut himself off when he noticed that Mario Bartalos, the most beastly in terms of personality and the least in terms of appearance, had trapped him in a sort of penance stare...he was done for the moment this happened.

"Look away from his eyes, you dolt!" Kami commanded very harshly but Rin seemed not to hear him as Mario gave a predatory stare to Kami who avoided his eyes for long enough.

"Ah, so I take this is your little 'experiment'?" Mario said curiously "How did you manage to intermingle the scents of a human and Ghoul with whatever this guy...thing is, I wonder?"

Rin managed to free himself from the Ghoul Lord's terrifying eyes as he was surprised but not by much as will-o-wisps appeared on the entire area of the mountain top and he growled "Now I shall demonstrate the difference between an 'animal' and a 'mere house pet', Kurosaki"

**The mountaintop exploded viciously as Mario laughed like the maddened animal he was.**

* * *

**A/N - Midnight is almost upon them but it looks like Rin has reappeared and found Kami with Bartalos, who somehow can intimidate a 'mere creature' like Rin and who was Rin before Kami had stripped him of his freedom, find out next time!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 20**

**Bjorn was ready to start the trials, as it was a few hours before midnight, although now fairly certain that another Ghoul possesses Tsujin's body. He is hoping it isn't a German, no Ghoul has seen an angry Bjorn but he often warns them to pray that they don't live long enough to see him lose his seemingly nonexistent temper as he might kill them all, being a very dark person if he decides to let that dark side of his seep through, even a little.**

_'Bartalos...Briarios'_ Bjorn contacted the two mentally as _'Are you on your way back yet?'_

_'We were just leaving...'_ Briarios said in a monotone _'this trial should be a very interesting one indeed'_ and a while later, he heard Bartalos growling like a beast _'Don't rush me, I'm a bit...occupied, could ya provide a portal, Bjorn?'_

_'Fine...'_ Bjorn thought irritably raising his hand as a small portal opened before him, then another, as far as the forest entrance then another at the mountains before closing the first one.

With Bartalos and Bane, the three noticed that he rose to his feet, Bane went on the defencive as he was looking Tsume in the eye the entire time "We're going back...don't slow us down, brat" he sneered at Bane "Briarios should be there at about the same time"

Bane shivered at the sound of that Ghoul Lord's name, for some reason he was worried that he would kill Kami or even him if he was even looked at wrong "that other Ghoul Lord..." Bane started as Bartalos warned him "Briarios doesn't think very kindly of you..." He said "he thinks you don't have what it takes, you're not strong enough and definitely not brave enough to be a true Ghoul...he knows you're half-mutant too" as Bane scowled "I bet he thinks that of everyone."

"If it's the last thing I see you do, you will tell him that to his face." He chuckled "but beware, he follows a different set of rules than any of us, so maintain eye contact with him unless he says otherwise"

"Why?" Tsume asks as he looks at her "Oh, for the safety of you NOT being physically maimed...or something far worse" he seemed to be exaggerating but he wasn't as they'll soon find out.

"What?!" Tsume snarled as Bartalos stopped her "Hey, don't be rash...Briarios likes to fight, despite one-on-one not being his preference, unless angered or even slightly annoyed enough." Bartalos smiled evilly "...you haven't forgotten our little chat about that, huh?"

Tsume shook her as Bane tried to steal a ride on the Demon's shoulder but forgot about his swords until the came dangerously close to chopping his skull open _"Anata wa sore o futte iru basho nē, mite!"_ (Hey, watch where you're swinging that!) as Datrios growled "Do I look like a freakin' horse to you?" He snapped as Bane countered "As long as I have Azazel-sama's permission, yes, I think you are."

"Yeah, you'd have permission to ride him and face the severity of the consequences, NOT me" the Demon Warrior snarled "not like we have much walking left to do..." He looked at the emerging light ahead as he felt a pebble bounce off the side of his head, turning his glare to Tsume.

"You want a piece of me too, human?" Datrios readied one of four concealed retractable blades he had on him as she settled for glaring at him.

* * *

**Things were going well for Bartalos so far, though Briarios wishes the same could be said on his end as Bjorn's portal has yet to appear.**

_'Come on'_ he saw Rin coming at him with punches as he caught one punch _'Where's that goddamn portal?!'_ He thought knowing Bjorn was no longer in his mind as he backed away from Rin as he rose to his feet, aching but not down for the count, keeping Kami behind him and far from Rin's reach.

A black portal finally opened as Mario smirked evilly "About time..." but Rin tackled him aggressively sending all three through the portal as Kami was dragged as well, having been caught in the Ghoul Lord's death grip despite his attempts to evade.

**The scene changed from the windy mountaintop to edge of the forest as Briarios took advantage of their return to the city and Rin's subsequent and unexpected surprise as Bartalos resumed his position between him and Kami.**

Rin smelled something on the air and look ahead, ignoring everything else as Nobunaga came out of a building, a bit disappointed in his search on the past of Kami, either because the Ghouls he asked didn't know much at all or refused to tell what they did know to a human without a price he wasn't willing to pay, flesh. He saw a few children but they seemed as dangerous as the adults, if not more

Nobu's scent was familiar to Rin for some reason...too familiar, as memories of a humanity he was lulled into believing he never had by Kami's manipulation that disgusted him.

"Human...die" Rin snarled as the memory of a child watching his parents die flashed before his eyes, angering him further.

Nobu, vigilant and aware far more than a regular human should be turns to see the charging Rin but Bartalos moved fast mid air, coming down on him like a volcanic eruption with a totally blackened fist "Down!" An officially peeved Bartalos slammed Rin into the ground face first as soon as he was inches from touching Nobunaga as the human stared at the unconscious (he didn't care to know how long that'll last) but alive Rin who was still looking him in the eye, making him shake uncontrollably from years of anxiety issues "What the-?" He asked reaching slowly to touch Rin as Kami, with a vanishing devious smile growled "I wouldn't do that if I were you" but all Nobu did was glare at him as he continued "don't say I hadn't warned you...I should've raised you myself, then you wouldn't be such a disillusioned, brainwashed imbecile"

**Bartalos grumbled something as he dragged Rin and Kami through another portal that dropped them, Nobu not far behind, right at J'onn's doorstep.**

"Oy, I can walk, datte, let go of me" Kami snapped as he struggled but the glare the pissed off Ghoul Lord gave him silenced it as he was still cursing under his breath in a Dead Language making Kami scowl to hide the shivers running up and down his spine "Shut up or I'll shut you up with my foot down your throat, Kurosaki, I doubt you want that, do you?" He quickly lifted him into the air narrowing his eyes very dangerously as Kami seemed to have second thoughts "Good"

**He looked just in time to see Briarios and company coming his way, noticing immediately that Bane was intent on not looking him in the eye, preferring to stare at Kami in shock, and Tsume seems to have been scolded by Bartalos for sheltering the young man. He won't be any nicer.**

Bartalos smacked Bane on the head quickly as he whispered "Look him in the eye or you'll regret it."

"Hey, looks like you have been doing your job..." Bartalos said as Briarios growled "obviously...and I see you haven't"

Bartalos looked at the others "Go inside..." as Briarios yanked Bane back "except you..."

"What do we have there?" He looked at Rin as Briarios scowled "I bet it's nothing but a nuisance, I hear you've got something to say to me, kid" he glanced at Bane "not looking me in the eye, huh?" He sent Bane flying into the air as everyone's but his eyes went wide into the sky as Kami whistled "Don't tell me you sent Bane literally into orbit just for something as stupid as not making eye contact?"

"Oh, he's not in orbit just quite yet..." Briarios grinned wolfishly as he squinted and saw what looked like a star blink and within minutes it turned out to be Bane rocketing back to the Earth at Mach 7 but Briarios stepped aside and caught him like it was nothing, being the only one calm about the situation.

**Suddenly Yang appeared and caught a punch to his face that was meant for Bane, having been invisible the entire time using his Wind element magic to hide even his scent and giving him a really unnerved stare as the punch didn't faze him being a far cry from what Kami received or Briarios' full strength.**

"So, you must be Kami's piece o' trash excuse of a former apprentice" Briarios purred as Yang's eyes flashed nearly as dangerously as his own as Yang countered "and you're the deemed 'Wildchild' of Ghoul Lords, I hear, you must feel good that you're an animalistic psycho that puts even my cruel former master to shame" he was very calm as Kami looked at him, clearly very unhappy, an unhappiness even Yang had never seen before which broke his heart.

"Don't pity me, Yang!" Kami snapped as the two Ghoul Lords, Bartalos leaning against the wall and Briarios standing right in front of him, glancing over his shoulder both looking at Kami.

"I practically raised the little shit since we were both at least old enough to walk, talk...and fight" Kami said "though that was back when I was a pathetic weakling that thought the world wasn't as harsh a place as it really was...even then" as Yang's sadness was shown in his voice as much as anger "So you're saying we were just naïve kids who didn't even know what we were, let alone that we weren't even human anymore?!"

* * *

**One nod was all that came from Kami, while elsewhere Rokusho was in the forest, looking for two certain natural enemies that were currently squaring off. Rokusho was one of those weird geniuses that liked things that were rare to him, that he could find in one place or that if he lost his chance with them, he may never have it again...although this was done orders he was given and he would usually prefer doing nothing unless the two were a personal threat to him.**

"What a goddamn drag..." Rokusho growled, his lazy eyes glaring viciously at Azazel, with two swords strapped to his back and one at his waist and Jack Arc stood on another tree nearly a mile away glaring at him with his newly reclaimed Scyth, his eyes now with an insatiable amount of bloodlust "you two idiots better start fighting before you have to fight someone twice as dangerous as you both...me" he snarled bravely unaware that he isn't much of a fighter, despite being an a Binge Eater that was always small bodied to most and smaller than most other notable Binge Eaters.

"Where do you think you're going?" Azazel said as Arc growled, taking a low fighting stance and gripping but not removing the scythe strapped to his back "There's nothing left for me here, so I will leave...with your head if you don't get out of my way"

Azazel wasn't too pleased about that and Arc really didn't find that particularly important, nor did he care what the Demon Lord wants "So, you're just going to leave him to die...in Kurosaki's place?" Azazel said, knowing that Bane won't die as he won't allow it. The young Ghoul owed him a debt that he won't allow death to take him without repayment.

Arc glanced to the side before staring straight at Azazel with a deathly calm "If that is the case, I've completed my mission...too bad the boy didn't heed my warning and will probably be killed too."

Azazel's tiny hold on his tongue just then "exactly what I hate about you sons of bitches...you're too full of yourselves!" He snarled as the two reached for their weapons

"Shut up and die already" Arc snarled as black flame-like patterned markings moved all over his right arm and the side of his face, still trying to envelope his whole body painfully since his fight with Kami as Azazel perked at the sight "A Curse Mark...how did you come around to obtaining that?"

**Arc swings his scythe, creating gale force winds but Azazel jumped into the air using his tail to throw his swords Arc as he merely scratched his cheek.**

"Hey, hurry up before we're blown out of here!" Rokusho snarled in annoyance at one of his boss' assistants, Rikumaru, a girl who doesn't dress as one...usually being confused for and treated as a man "Riku..." He said adamantly before noticing that the youngster was ignoring him before he pulled out a senbon and threw it at her head with enough accuracy to get his point across "Rikumaru-teme, you klutz, I'd like to be the ONLY lazy individual here and I want you to run an urgently important errand for me"

"Oy, watch it, dattebayo" the younger Ghoul tried her best to sound intimidating as she was busy daydreaming "What do you want, lazybones Roku?"

A swift smack to her head and a few senbon in her chest got Rokusho's point across "Go warn J'onn-senpai about something important for me" he turned with a scary glare "and watch it with the lazybones jokes, I can't promise I can tolerate another of your humorless jokes" his icy eyes turning back to the Demon Lord and Angel.

* * *

**Back with Bane, he was still arguing with the Ghoul Lords who were all itching like hell to shut him up as unlike Kami, he was not settling with what his fate would be.**

"Don't worry" Bartalos said trying to ease some anxiety as well as the murderous looks from Bane, Yang and Kami "as long as you do as you're told - both of you - nothing should happen to your brat."

"What makes you think I'll just go along with this?!" Bane demanded, causing all adult heads to turn to him mostly with glares as he lowered his head "it's not like I asked for this..."

"It doesn't matter what you wanted to me" Briarios said, still looking downright murderous but outwardly calm with his K.I keeping Bane from breaking eye contact "You can't break laws, not only rules, but fucking LAWS and not expect there to not be any consequence... laws Kami is already well acquainted with and still broke, but soon enough you'll come to me regardless of choice and I'll get my chance to break you" he gave Kami a icy look

"With torture?" Bane snapped and dared to roll his eyes "been there, done that"

Briarios' chuckle turned into a laugh that made an echo through the city "Torture, you really want that, kid?" He even wiped tears from his eyes as Kami shook his head "I am no torturer you want to screw with and no, that won't happen ever again under my watch" Bane sighed as the Ghoul Lord growled "...but I won't make it a walk in the forest either and forget the word 'easy' as long as you're not suicidal by the time we're done"

**A portal opened with a large man, seemingly a very dark Bjorn as everyone looked at the portal. Something must've really ticked the usually stoic Ghoul Lord off for him to visibly look really upset.**

"You like to keep people waiting, don't you...Bjorn Tartaron?" Briarios said, the only one with his eyes glued to the portal.

"Bjorn wasn't late...Bjorn was just busy" Bjorn growled as Bane snapped "If only you'd just split Kami in pieces across the city or something" he muttered as Yang slapped him in the head "Enough, not another damn word!"

Bjorn finally stepped out with J'onn as he showed no emotion "That's not a half bad idea, Asakura" he raised his hand as Kami and Bane's wrists were no longer bound and Kami rose to his feet in clear shock as a mask appeared on Bjorn's face resembling the Chameleon "Was this what you had in mind?"

The two were raised into the air, Bane looked terrified the moment he made eye contact with Bjorn as portals proceeded to erase their arms and legs completely leaving a dark purple color where they were at the small ring shaped portals "Your arms and legs have been separated throughout this city, pray I don't close one or-" he made the portal release Kami's left arm except his ring finger before shaking his own left ring finger and shutting the portal, taking Kami's left ring finger clean off causing Kami to scream out in pain before his arm was swallowed again by the portal

**Kami's eyes glowed a bright orange, he was furious now and in serious pain.**

"Get my point?" The Ghoul Lord said, liking to make his points painfully clear as the two nodded and Bane scowled "this power would've helped when I first arrived here, you know, splitting that perv across every continent"

A swift and painful kick to make blood gush from his mouth and a sickening breaking of bones as he was kicked by a highly unnerved Briarios "Have anything else to say, smart-ass?" Briarios said shooting his parents a dark glare if they dared to interfere "this is getting more interesting by the second."

**A very annoyed Yamamoto and Scar came out with a bound Tsujin who looked probably as pissed off as Kami was a moment ago.**

"Tsujin..." Bane said as the Ghoul turned and looked at him coldly, before snarling in a strange voice unfamiliar to him _'Dummer Junge, ich bin nicht Tsujin'_ (Stupid boy, I ain't Tsujin) Sebastian Rambos made it clear "Be a good boy and entertain me with your death." He chuckled darkly but stopped, noticing that Bjorn, Ryuken and Yang were looking at him like a deer in the headlights with nothing good in mind to sever his link to Tsujin and rip him out of the other Ghoul's body as quickly and painfully on his part as possible.

"Am I late" Tsu Chen suddenly came out from behind Yang like a shadow as he cringed "I thought I'd gotten rid- lost you" Yang raised an eyebrow.

Briarios merely glanced at her and nodded, they never spoke much and Bjorn smirked when Yang shot him a look and Tsume shot Tsu Chen a nasty look "At the last minute, as always"

"Yang, who's this bimbo?" Yang avoided the burning eyes of Tsume as Tsu Chen retorted "Bimbo? I am the Ghoul Mistress, show some respect before I teach you some, hag"

Yang stopped breathing instantly when an unseen shadow scratches Tsume's cheek "Stay away from my husband, you could be the Ghoul empress or not for all I give a shit, you'll still get hurt"

Tsu Chen was about to bite back but Yang grabbed her shoulder just in time "Back off, my wife is crazy where other women and our son are concerned...she will fuck you up, take my word."

Briarios put his arm around Tsume who jumped and was grinning the whole time "Good job putting our bratty mistress in her place" he pretty much growled but frown when he saw red eyes looking at him dangerously _'Nani o yatte iru to omoimasu ka?'_ (What do you think you're doing?)

Briarios look Yang straight in the eye and gripped Tsume's shoulder with almost breaking force "back off, big bad mutt, if I wanted her I would've taken her the moment I saw her...clearly I didn't but I can and fair warning, absolutely nothing gets between me and something I've already claimed ownership of."

**Bjorn creates a large portal on the ground beneath everyone's feet taking them to an unknown location and where the trial will take place.**

* * *

**Elsewhere, within the part of the city where the majority of the Binge Eaters live, a little latina girl was amidst chaos as her giggle echoes and she skipped through the streets, her pretty pink dress painted red with blood as a man wearing a black business suit with brown hair almost as brown as his eyes covered partially by shades.**

They walked as feral Binge Eaters here and there gave them more odd than hungry looks "Would you stop that, bambina?" He grunted licking his lips as he shot her a look but she continued prancing and it was slowly but surely pissing him off.

_'Wǒ shì yīgè xiǎo gōngzhǔ'_ (I'm a little princess) the little Chinese girl, Xing continued as the Italian man, Chico scowled deeply in annoyance _'Kàn wǒ zhī gǎn'_ (Watch me strut)

**Suddenly, Chico grabs her on the top of her head with his palm an lifted her out of the way of a fire blast, her legs still walking for some reason and his other hand still buried in his pockets.**

_'Chi è il pezzo morti di merda che ha fatto?'_ (Who's the dead piece of shit that did that?) His eyes turned to glare at the sorry son of a bitch he would kill next pinned him against the wall, practically shaking with rage he couldn't just bottle up.

**Suddenly, he was forced to drop him as a pillar of pure diamond nearly too his arm off.**

The girl turned for a moment to where the magic came from to glimpse the red shirt and black jacket of the attacker.

"It's him" Xing said, knowing the man had tried to kill her before and probably still wanted to as Chico said "huh?" clearly more concerned with finding the one who nearly amputated him than some killer.

**The Ghoul backed into a wall, covered in graffiti, eyes wide not noticing the wall behind him was actually the six foot Mexican wearing a red shirt, long brown pants and a black jacket with his curly black hair covering his right eye partially and narrow brown eyes stared at the man then shifted to Xing's with an unsatisfiable and annoying all the same hunger.**

_'Noche maravillosa, ¿no es mi amigo atracones Eater?'_ (Wonderful evening, isn't it my Binge Eater friend?) The Ghoul, Chad, growled in his scarily deep voice as he touched the Ghoul's shoulder, covering it in a ice...the pain of his victims was the only thing that could bring a smile to his face, before he threw the Ghoul to Xing's feet with almost no effort _'Un regalo, Xing ciervos'_ (a gift, dear Xing) Chad said calmly _'Es mejor que sea de su agrado...que te ha estado siguiendo durante casi todo el tiempo que tengo'_ (It had better be to your liking...he's been following you for nearly as long as I have)

Xing was angry as she ran up to the giant and punched him hard in the jaw against the wall, his eyes never leaving hers "I have prepared for so long to rid myself of you two, I could not sit by and let some interloper ruin it, princesa, now could I?" He chuckled as he reached for her breast but grabbed her wrist faster than she could get away and slammed her against the wall "I know I can't hurt you that easily, so stop that...I don't want your nice dress to get stuck in my teeth any more than you do."

Chico cleared his throat "I think you should get your hands off her...before I end you both" he warned as Chad looks at him calmly but venomously all the same as he choked Xing tighter replying "Run along, pest." He said "I don't consider you a wholesome enough meal, I'll take good care of our princesa here."

**He suddenly stopped when he could no longer sense a group of humans and Ghouls, one of them being Kami and the respective Ghoul Lords they'd betrayed.**

Chad was a loner by nature and was going to join Kami for the sole purpose of eating the Ghoul Lord, he never reveals his last name...there's no one alive but him that knows his last name, he knows that Kami knows as he used it mistakenly once, not knowing he was listening and watching.

Chico grabs Chad's shoulder tightly, but Chad's mastery of Ice Magic has made his body freeze anything that touches it at his will as well as his ice taking the likeness and hardness of diamonds and he watches as Chico removes his hand before it froze which can happen in a matter of minutes as he lets go of Xing's throat.

"How about we join forces?" Chico suggests as the large Ghoul snarls, assessing him with his hand out to shake.

"Fine...for now" Chad agrees slapping his hand away "until we find Kami, then I'll kill you imbeciles" he then took off into the forest with the two keeping up barely.

"For a big semi-retarded guy, he's fast" Xing said with a scowl and despite her smaller size, she was no pushover as Chico growled "Why is he so determined to kill you anyway?"

"I don't know...he likes to see me suffer" she gave puppy dog eyes but by the look on Chico's face, he wasn't as gullible as she thought as she confessed "Okay, I robbed him of a few human kills that were rightfully NOT his"

Chico stopped "You...did what?!" as she continued "he's been planning for me to steal from him again ever since, plus he seemed to need company"

"You keep someone's company by stealing from them" he said with a surprisingly straight face "...and here I thought he was just an idiot but now I think you're just a thief and an idiot!"

He swung a punch at her but was punched in the nose and knocked back staggering as she snapped "That bitch...she killed my family 'by accident', I don't care what I have to do to get my revenge" she went from anger to cute quickly "I heard Kami resented her and his fellow colleagues so, how could I not help him in exchange for my family back."

_'She really thinks Lord Kami would do that for her for the sake of it?'_ He thought _'Huh, she's a few fruit loops short of a fruit basket if she believes that won't come without some price'_

**The two thought Chad was long gone and had long forgotten them as they could no longer hear him until...**

"You..." Chico looked up to see Chad standing upside down on a branch glaring daggers at them "too damn slow, hurry up or I'll kill you...don't even bet on being left behind" he then disappeared with great speed as the two scowled but nodded "get over it" Chico said "that's the reason you turned on her right...the Ghoul Mistress?" They then disappeared as well with great speed.

**A/N - Three new Ghouls appear but what are they going to do about the trial and how are Briarios, Bartalos and Tsu Chen going to take it, Is Rin really Nobu's father that Kami supposedly killed? R&amp;R and find out!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 21**

**Rikumaru, moving fast, made it to the edge of the city through the trees when she heard something moving.**

_'What could be moving this fast through the trees, I wonder?'_ She thought, her silver eyes seeing a monstrously large shadow zip past her followed by two smaller ones although the city was within her view now.

**The larger shadow stopped, causing her to dart behind a large tree to sid unfortunately rustle some leaves enough to draw attention to herself.**

**Seconds later, the largest of the three, Chad appeared and was looking around...sniffing like a hungry hellhound and even checking the leaves with his superb tracking skills as the other two, Chico and Xing, appeared behind him.**

Riku didn't know why the girl was dressed in that repulsively pink dress but hated it all the same as she peeked out from behind the tree, almost meeting Chad's eyes and gasped, catching his attention.

Chad looked behind the very same tree but she wasn't there. He caught her scent though as he looked at the others "Go on ahead, from the scent I can tell it's female...this one is mine" his mouth made a straight line on his face as he took off down another path opposite to their originally intended path.

"So he's a Binge Eater...greedy one at that" Rico frowned, his hatred of Chad growing as he looked at Xing "Let's go, but keep an eye out for a shortcut and the girl."

"I take it he doesn't like to play with his food but would prefer to have it alive" Xing said all too sweetly as Rico caught on "Savoring the thrill of the hunt?"

Xing nodded "Kill her and he'll lose interest" but frowned and shuddered looking to where Chad went a minute ago "just don't let him catch us or we might end up on his macabre menu"

**The two ran down their path, hoping to beat Chad to his goal, meanwhile Riku ran for a while then stopped behind another tree unaware that she was being tracked like game meat until she heard his footstep softly on the other side of the tree one hand a light shade of blue.**

"Come out, kid" Chad said "I won't hurt you, I only wish to talk." He was listening for what he guessed was a woman who if she weren't a Ghoul, he would've caught her already.

_'Want to talk, my ass'_ Riku thought, uncertain if she could fight him and survive _'and we could go on a date to get some Ichiraku ramen as well, who the fuck does he think he's kidding?!'_ She mentally screamed and due to her lack of attentiveness, barely missed Chad's attempt to grab her head around the tree as she moved but he won't let her run, spikes of diamond-like ice where her head was less than a minute ago.

**Chad looked around right into her eyes and for a moment, her legs simply refused to move toward or away from him but she managed to jump over his lunge.**

"I have no interest in food that won't give me at least a little fight" he turned to see her calmer than anyone has ever been in his presence knowing what he was going to do to them, as she took an odd fighting stance (similar to the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist style in Naruto) and her hands began making a crying noise that piqued Chad's interest more than it should, seeing her hands crackling with white-ish blue lightning...with the same crying sound that even some humans can hear...making it a bother to the older Ghoul's far more sensitive ears and an annoyance he now seeks to eliminate or eat, whichever came first as he said "nice...but the last thing you want is to tick me off, girl, come and I won't bite"

"Please, bite me" Riku charges unexpectedly with a series of precise and excruciating jabs that would've brought Chad to his knees at the least but he remained on his feet with a dark frown before grinning and diving at her as she ran off, almost landing on her this time.

**She seems to have lost Chad by the time she made it out of the forest, but not his comrades who came out at the same time despite having taken the longer path of the two.**

"Well well..." Chico smirked, he wasn't much of a Binge Eater (yet) but the smell of another Ghoul was becoming almost as insatiable as a human to him nowadays "Going somewhere?"

Rikumaru simply glared at the two but soon couldn't take her eyes off Xing's repulsive dress. Chico pretends not to notice, but Xing wasn't even aware as this would be her first time eating another Ghoul as well or a human for that matter despite her bravado.

"Ugh, that dress!" Rikumaru growled in annoyance, sick of looking at the dress almost as much as it's wearer as Xing admired her dress just to get under her skin "Pretty, isn't it?" causing Chico to face palm hard.

Riku rolled her eyes "pretty isn't the word I'd use...I also have no time to play with you bakas, so I'd get out of my way if I were you." She swore she felt a strong intent to kill from Xing, which paled in comparison to what a certain bad tempered Chad was packing.

"Stay still and die already" Chico, using never before seen speed, ends up right under before kicking her straight into the air in the chin before appearing right above her and attempted to slam her into the ground which she managed to block but was still slammed down.

Xing stood by, not yet figuring out that Rikumaru'd just insulted her but by the look in her eyes, it was clear they'd never even be acquaintances, let alone friends before joining in the fight.

"We're gonna kill you" Xing giggled in an evil sort of way but Riku scowl "If anything's gonna kill me, it's you and your dress code" Chico had been restraining himself from laughing but this was the breaking point as he laughed, raising his hand to pause the fight.

Xing glared at him agressively, even for someone as young as her with no experience in killing "Correction...I'll kill you BOTH"

**They fought and Riku was trying to guide it away from where she left Chad as quickly as possible, as he never looked too pleased but Chad, having been knocked out somehow, was now awake and angry with a dangerously bulging vein on his forehead, barely hidden by his curly but slightly wavy hair as he rose to his feet, eyes enraged and blank as his left arm turned black and red markings as well as a shield with a screaming face that moves and white fingertips and his right arm, white with red fingertips with the ability to negate, nullify and/or absorb any magical attack thrown at him, his strength may have tripled as well as he sprinted straight for his desired prey before it got away, pissing him off even further.**

**Rikumaru swore she heard a roar of some sort as she distanced herself from the two, all three a bit magically drained as she readied a few smoke bombs to aid her escape.**

"How immature...these twits are two peas in a pod" Chico muttered as the two gave him glares that changed his mind as Chad emerged from the deeper part of the forest, horrifying them with his new look.

He lands on his feet and trembles for a second as Chico proceeded to guide Xing away but the glare Chad shot them didn't need words to keep them in place as Riku smirked "Rematch?"

Chad scowled darkly, as if she had much choice and decides to demonstrate his abilities on her "Hardly..." He said with a stoic expression.

Riku then started shooting bolts of electricity, sped up by her skill in dual wielding Lightning and Wind, which is usually near impossible for anyone but a Ghoul Lord, and even then harder to master as he easily absorbed all her attacks into his right arm before amplifying and shooting it out of his left arm.

**Suddenly, Riku threw down her smoke bombs just before being hit and was gone by the time the smoke cleared. Chad and company entered the city to find her as well as the Ghoul Lords and kill them and do what they came to do, join forces with Kami.**

* * *

**Elsewhere, with Kami and Bane, Bjorn was playing mind games, something Kami found weird and Bane found to be a total waste of his and everyone else's time.**

"It seems we've attracted some uninvited guests...a bunch of traitors" Bjorn said, being the only one able to sense anything outside this dark, gloomy room.

"We're wasting time, dattebayo" Bane deadpanned in growing annoyance as Kami glances at him, even he was surprised by his nerve knowing that he himself knew just what to say to anger them but not enough that they'd become murderous...yet.

His eyes went to the Ghoul Lords, Bjorn, like always looked like he was constantly plotting something while Briarios, well, he just looked ready to snap and Kami knew only two reasons why...He _HATES_ being here and Bane's inability to shut his trap wasn't making his day any better while Bartalos seemed the _ONLY_ one peaceful about this trying to prevent the murderous Briarios from grotesquely hurting Bane as much as he admired his nerve.

"Lord Briarios..." Bjorn looked to the unnerved man who gave a disgruntled "What?"

"Care to begin?" Bartalos suggested putting his arm around the man's shoulders as he glared at him and growls "Yes...at least then we can get something done" he stepped forward keeping his hand in a death grip behind his back.

"Let's begin with my new young friend here, Bane Asakura" Briarios said as Bane visibly shook at the sound of his name but a smack to the back of his head got him paying attention to the Ghoul Lord "talk, what are you even doing in this city?" He demanded pointing at his slightly widened eye "and only thing you should be paying attention to are these eyes unless I say otherwise, understood?"

Bane remained silent, this Ghoul Lord he definitely didn't like as Briarios looked at Bjorn "Could you start taking his head, Tartaron?" He asks as Bjorn tried to reason "That cannot be done, he'll die..."

"Seriously?" Briarios said flattly "that doesn't seem all that bad..."

"Illegally or not, I don't know how I got here and I've never even seen the entrance or we wouldn't be having this conversation...with almost everyone either trying to kill or eat me since I got here"

"Why then?" Briarios persisted "Why did the Binge Eaters want you in their ravenous stomachs so badly and why do you even live in that part of the city?"

"Kami put me there...I'm sure he's the one who made them attack me in the first place" Bane gave Kami a glare that reminded him of Dark Bane for a second as he shot back "I knew nothing of you being attacked, not my fault you didn't heed my warnings to be alert in their presence at all times"

"Oh, don't make us sound so bad, Bane" a voice said as a large Ghoul appears, Ryuzaki, a Binge Eater that was one of Kami's bodyguards that has never been seen together with him...he holds a lot of bitterness and resentment towards the man he now no longer works for "I was promised a piece of you and I planned to cash in sooner than intended, so I sent those Ghouls to your home to bring you to me...too bad those greedy bakas tried to eat you first. I humbly apologize on their behalf and my own...I hope you don't think too badly of me" he got to his knees and bowed at Bane's feet, surprising him with how he and Kami glared venomous daggers at each other "by the way, Lord A-hole, I quit starting right now" Kami glared at his nerve.

"I...forgive you" Bane whispered and Ryuzaki looked up to see tears in Bane's eyes "only person here unworthy of forgiveness is Kami"

"And you!" Briarios snapped "illegal entry _AND_ allegations of starting another Binge War aren't matters to take lightly!"

"So what do you expect me to do, this wasn't my choice...my choice was to..." Bane didn't quite know what his choice would've been if he was given one, even by Kami, as he bowed his head, only that it would be different.

"No...you're not to blame if you're truly unaware of our laws as you say then..." Briarios said calmer but still scowled raising his hand slowly, pointing at Tsume "I blame you idiots for this mess, you raised the boy and only he seems to be the one preventing himself from being a total fool...at least until he opens his mouth, that is"

"What?!" Tsume snapped "You're just going around placing blame now?"

"Tsume, don't make me say this twice and I'm not stupid enough to blame ya just cuz I can" Briarios scowls irritably "You're not a Ghoul, so this is none of your concern in the first place...the same can't be said for your mate though, not only is he a Ghoul but Kami's esteemed piece of shit student. This mess could've been avoided before it ever began by his choices alone"

"Son of a-" Yang growled as Tsume looked at Kami to see the top half of his face darken, except for shimmering orange eyes and a deceitful smile "What about Kami?!"

Briarios was in his face the moment he said that "If you had enough self respect to teach the boy a little, instead of making an issue of the extremely pointless fact that he was a fucking human, he wouldn't seek things from Kami that _YOU_ should've been able to provide!" he glares at Yang who was shocked by this as he looked at the other Ghoul Lords' expressions.

Tsu Chen looked a bit less amused than before "How interesting..." Thinking that she may have made a misjudgement where Kami was concerned, at least in this aspect concerning Yang.

"You may be right, but Bjorn doesn't think this was your original intentions, is Bjorn right?" Bjorn scowled, his eyes daring Yang to even think yes. Yang narrowed his eyes dangerously at him "Why would I intent for this to happen, Kami should never have known about my marriage or the existence of my wife and son in the first place, only they matter to me regardless of what actually happens to me" he looked at Tsume then Bane.

"Well, you weren't all that concerned with his life before if I'm right" Bartalos said, neither agreeing nor disagreeing "but you being here now says that you've learned that you went about things wrongly...but"

He looked Yang in the eye dangerously "I'd like to make it _crystal_ clear, I don't want to be called to another meeting like this concerning you two or I'll dish out some severe punishment of my own."

A black aura shimmered around a maniacally smiling Kami that got on Briarios' second to last good nerve "What is there so amusing about this, Kurosaki?!" He snarls "I haven't even begun with you!"

"Nothing that's any of your business" Kami said, all too calmly considering how extremely pissed off he was "but I hate to break it to you, _not_, that I have no intention of dying here today or ever for that matter, and are you forgetting that I have more allies than you think at the moment?"

"Then answer us" Bjorn got in his face, but Kami's calmness returned more and more "Do you fear your invisible God, Tartaron Bjorn?" Kami whispered shaking his head "because I sure don't and don't think I won't kick your asses when I get out of here personally either"

"When?" Bjorn replied "Don't you think that's a _'if'_?"

Kami's eye twitched "No, I'm more than fairly certain-"

"Your overconfidence is overrated, Kuro" Briarios groaned, cutting him off and looking at his head like it was an empty coconut "you escape and then I'll make you wish you hadn't...both of you" he looked at Bane sharply.

Kami saw that Tsujin still had his sword on him as he thought _'Good...keep him occupied while I reduce the rest to cinders and you will get what you've come all this way to receive, my friend'_ he thought, feeling Sebastian Santos in his mind replying _'yes, milord, more allies I have recruited for you should be here soon enough'_

_'Good'_ Kami thought darkly as Bjorn tensed for a second and Kami watched him carefully.

"Bjorn will deal with this one here and now" Bjorn said, touching Tsujin on the forehead to make him pass out but he woke up seconds later and smiled at Bane before passing out, which only he saw and confused him as he jumped up, a black crystal stone coming out of his pocket flying at Kami.

**Kami looked at the small black stone with a growing smirk as Bane watched him cautiously.**

**A bed appeared behind Bjorn as he, all but gently, put Tsujin on it, put his hands over his body with a dark glow and closed his eyes concentrating as Tsujin could no longer move now but was struggling.**

Bjorn began the process of separating the intruder's soul from Tsujin's, as he starts screaming.

Bjorn looked at him "Bjorn hasn't done anything yet, stop whining" he said in growing frustration as he saw Briarios stomping his way with a look no one wanted to be on the receiving end of at the moment.

Briarios punches Tsujin to knock him out cold as Yang barely made it to restrain Scar from doing the same to Briarios as the Ghoul Lord rubbed his aching head "problem of his squirming cured and my growing headaches only partially gone" he said with a twitchy smile "you're welcome"

"How do they even know all this?" Yang said in frustration as Briarios snarled but Bartalos kept him at bay replying "We've been watching in our own ways of course. This city is usually filled with crows from time to time, Bjorn can watch you through someone else's eyes with Tsu Chen and Bartalos watching as well" a Crow flew up and landed on his finger.

"I've been watching since Bane was born though" Briarios stated with a shrug pointing at Bjorn "...Tartaron, even before that and Bartalos as well as Tsu Chen, since you dumb shits tried to kill each other the first time and Hiachi here got his ass handed to him in more ways than one" he pointed at Kami and Yang.

"Bjorn has an interesting idea..." Bjorn says, mid focus as he literally separates "Sebastian Rambos, leave this man's body now" he ordered now aware of who exactly was inhabiting Tsujin's body

Sebastian managed to chuckle a bit "and risk suffering your wrath?" He distracted all the Ghoul Lords enough for Kami to find a way to swallow the black stone fragment thrown at him earlier, it was a specially made consumable stone that triples the magical power a Ghoul already has, Kami can activate this effect only when needed but will be forced to if he intends to make them all pay and survive it "I'll rather take my chances in this body than facing your wrath any day, Ghoul Lord" he said before going into a fit of screams that made Bane's skin crawl and Briarios' bloodlust all the harder to surpress and ignore "Don't insult my intelligence, no way in Hell".

"So be it..." Bjorn continued his attempts to physically drag the two souls apart from each other at a faster pace, completely ignoring his pained screams and attempts to get free. Within the hour, he was finished as Sebastian Santos' original body returned, curled in pain across from the Ghoul Lord. Tsujin woke up, pissed that his body was being used like a puppet but suffering no pain from the procedure to separate their souls other than an emptiness from the percentage of his soul Santos had consumed during his possession.

Bartalos pounced on the German immediately and raised his right hand after revealing the Ghoul's visible stomach "No..." He said as Bartalos snarled evilly "Oh, yes...Five-pronged Chained Shadow Seal activate" his fingertips glowed with small black flames, despite his inability to use even basic Fire Magic, then he rammed his fingers onto Rambos' stomach and turned it like a doorknob causing the Ghoul even more pain as it effectively seals off a Ghoul's Magic and drew his shadow into his body, he was now powerless to Bjorn's and Tsujin's impending wrath as he creeped away from Tsujin standing over him, his body nearly completely covered in a combination of sand and gold dust that he usually had on him but only used when he was as angered as he is now.

"I'll devour you whole this time" Tsujin said darkly with a sadistic look in his bloodshot eyes "just to make sure you stay dead!"

Tsu Chen put her arm in his way though "Let him live" she said with a devious smirk "That seal is more than a hand trick and a nice tattoo, it'll kill him very slowly but surely anyway if he continues using his magic wrongly"

Bartalos nods in agreement with his arms folded his eyes saying _'danger'_...he had no problem staying here but knew that if you cage an angry animal like Briarios for long enough, nothing good happens.

"Are we done here?" Briarios asked as Bjorn was about to berate him on his lack of patience but Kami answered for him, having enough time while they were...occupied and not paying much attention to him to burn his way out of his bindings _"E e, watashitachiha buriareosu `chisei wa zutto ima amarini mo kurushimu tsukutta to omoimasu"_ (Yeah, I think we've made Briarios' intellect suffer too much now) Kami broke loose as Briarios looked too furious for words to describe as Kami got to his feet slowly with a fire in his eyes _"Sā, watashi wa barabara ni anata no kami ni anata o okutte mimashou"_ (Come, let me send you to your God in pieces) Kami snarled then began concentrating as much Magic in his body as quickly as he can in a short time, then letting it all out a such a fast motion that the dimension began collapsing on itself and automatically, everyone was teleported into an open area in the city, the same place where Scar had first agreed to take Bane under his wing and train him before Kami lied about being his father.

**Bane was caught by surprise as Kami touched his forehead with his thumb and both their eyes glowed for a second and Bane's body became very relaxed...Kami had taken control of him again with an unbreakable link that Asakura thought was broken, before he seemed to mimic Kami's movements for a moment and broke free of his own bindings.**

"Bane...kill Yang and bring me my bride, alive and untainted" Kami said as Bane charged at Yang, who used an evasive tactic to dodge a head on attack as Tsume and Bartalos joined in.

"Care to explain what happened to my son if you were watching him his whole life?"

"Isn't it obvious by now?" Bartalos asked "We've made black bets on his life...as in if he lives or dies"

"Black bets?" Tsujin asks "What are those supposed to be?"

"Bjorn predicts a future event that is almost bound to happen and allows those wishing to bet to see what he sees, so far, he himself has never won once" Sebastian explains "He has no control over what the vision could be, otherwise he'd win at least one time by now, but they rarely happen and usually come true once they do...I'll enjoy watching Lord Kami burn you all to a crispy, charred heap of dust either way" he gave a sly grin.

"Run right at him" Scar suggests to Bjorn who looked at him like he was a deranged madman "punch him right in the jaw with all your strength"

"Bjorn is not doing that" Bjorn said grabbing him and ducking through a portal to avoid Kami's Amaterasu "Kami can take opponents many times Bjorn's size as easily as smaller opponents"

"That just sounds like complaining to me" Scar said, preparing himself "Watch closely, I want you to do exactly what that guy's doing" he pointed at a very angry looking Briarios coming up on Kami as they traded blows, Kami holding his own.

"Yield, Kami" Briarios said uppercutting Kami into the air "You are but one man and you know you can't take four Ghoul Lords at the same time"

"Yeah" Kami whispered feeling thrilled about that idea so much that it was almost uncontrollable "The day I back down to you is the day I personally kill myself and I thought I made it clear before...I have no wish to ever die until you go first!" He zipped down and smashed Briarios into the Earth. He fell but emerged a while later, now unable to maintain his somewhat fragile at times composure, merely dusting himself off "What was that, a love tap or something...no matter, I won't give you another chance to do it"

Kami back flipped away and was quickly engaged by Tsu Chen and Bartalos, avoiding Tsu Chen's graceful swipes with equal grace as Bartalos' attempts to seal him away with one touch of his palm missed by a mile with how much faster Kami had grown since they last met.

_'Their attempts to seal me away are pitiful'_ Kami thought looking around to see Bjorn at a high point preparing a very powerful spell as his eyes widened _'I get it now, they're not trying to seal me, they're buying time hoping I didn't notice...well, guess what, I did notice'_ he dashed with great speed hoping to topple the building before Bjorn enacts whatever he has planned but was stopped by a voice.

"Going somewhere, garçon?" He saw one man standing in his way, begrugedly he'd programmed himself without knowing years ago to stop at the sound of his former mentor's voice "the fun has only begun, don't think you're getting anywhere within an inch of this building without going through me" said the Wingless Dragon, J'onn Lucario Lebeau...his mind initially wasn't set on killing his best friend and colleague but he couldn't stand idly by any longer with Bjorn's threat to destroy the city with everyone and everything in it with his next spell as Kami snarled "So you came despite my thought that you didn't wish to face me again, I make you wish you never crawled out of your hole!" Kami sent a surge of black flames at his former friend as he stood there, not moving an inch as his smirk grew more and more sadistic in nature _'I'm so very sorry...Kuro'_ he closed his eyes envisioning the old Kami as his mental world went white.

* * *

**Elsewhere with the Asakura family, Yang was obviously able to hold his own against his son, Bane even without Tsume's help, but he doesn't want to fight him and he's not one to take someone with his own blood in their veins lightly either as they ventured into the Binge Eaters' part of the city with the Binge's favorite pass time hunting them, little did they know they weren't the only one's here.**

_"Chikaku ni taizai shi, nani o suru ni shite mo, watashi no soba o hanarenaide kudasai"_ (Stay close and whatever you do, don't leave my side) Yang said gripping Tsume's hand tighter with each step _"Soko yori kiken'na koto wa watashi yori mo koko ni iru... Soshite, karera wa ōku no ryō kara jogai sa reru koto kara uete imasu"_ (There are more dangerous things here than me...and they're starved from being excluded from many hunts)

Bane appeared on a large rock before them from nowhere with a large amount of bloodlust that were drawing in more Ghouls _"Watashi wa anata no subete no bubun... Demo kage o taberu yo, sore wa kare ga meiji to shite, anata ga kizutsukete, watashi o gōmon suru tame ni ataisuru mono o, watashi wa chichi ni modotte hahaoya o toru yō"_ (I'll eat every part of you...even the shadow, it's what you deserve for hurting and torturing me, then I'll take mother back to father as he commanded) Bane monotoned before lunging at the two and activating the Ghoul side of his powers.

Yang quickly created a mist so they could hide in some trees away from their homicidal son, Yang figured he would much prefer to take him rather than go through the trouble of chasing Tsume.

"I have a plan" Yang said holding Tsume close and looking around for Bane, she already knew his idea, he would fight Bane alone replying "I'm not leaving you to fight him alone, Hiachi"

"Don't tell me you don't think I can fight...?" Yang smirked but could not hide the fact that he was against this idea "I _am_ Kami's rebellious student, after all"

Tsume rolled her eyes "yeah, right" as she kissed him "just be careful for once, will you?" Yang smirked and nodded "run, stick to the shadows and find J'onn...don't look back and I'll be right behind you"

**Tsume nodded and disappeared into the shadows as she went back down the path they came...passing very few Binge Eaters in this part of the forest on her way who weren't really paying attention to her. Little did she know, Chad was also among them and followed her alone, meanwhile, Yang reveals himself to Bane and he isn't happy about it.**

"Bane" Yang called out to his son as he turned to glare at him "there you are"

"I do not wish to fight you" Yang closed his eyes as Bane looked ready for anything as he opened his eyes, now red on black "you have to stop this, you're fighting on the wrong side!"

Bane gave a demented smirk "Father told me you'd think that way after what you did...die" he lunged at Yang with a flurry of punches and kicks but he dodged and blocked them with no problem as he thought _'such skill and he isn't have been training for long but still...'_ he looked at Bane and only saw Kami as he took the advantage, thinking Yang wasn't paying attention "I couldn't be any more proud as a father" he had tears in his eyes as he looked at a seemingly confused Bane "Good kick...could've taken my head off but I'm sorry, Bane, for all of this" he reached for Bane but activated his Kyu-Tanken.

_'Shadouītā'_ (Shadow Eater) Bane snarled, before cringing slightly in oncoming pain _'Shadouāmāmōdo'_ (Shadow Armor Mode) as Yang watched the unfathomable happen.

Bane's five tails (which grows in number later on) began lashing out, a danger for both of them as a black scale like armor began moving across Bane's body like a liquid before hardening to a material as hard as pure Adamantium. It was also reminiscent of a wolf's fur for some reason

Yang jumped back his shocked expression never moving from his face as Bane, regardless of if he was mind controlled by Kami or of his own awareness seems not to have a hang of this power, the perfect combination of his respective Ghoul and Mutant abilities as he lashed out at pretty much anything as Yang was forced to avoid him and the trees he was demolishing.

_'Unbelievable...'_ Yang was stone-faced as he watch his now berserk son_ 'he's lost control...but imagine what he could do if he has complete control'_

**_'Or under our control...' _**Yin added expecting Yang to scold him like he usually did when he spoke of his son turning to the dark side, but Yang was silent for a good half hour "Soul Search" he activated a spell and kept his eye on Bane in hopes that this didn't have as much effect on his soul as it did on his body, his soul represented by a orb that Yang along could see using this spell.

Red represented Bane's soul how it has always been since he was born and the Black represented his darker side who's name Yang doesn't know yet being forcefully awakened.

"What have you become?" Yang breathed as the creature before him that has his son choking inside gave a sadistic grin "Don't recognize me?" His voice was a combination of Bane's and a deeper voice almost similar to Kami's but still recognizably Bane's, only older and radiated evil.

"I'm still Bane...though I've cast my weaker side aside for the moment" Dark Bane said going into a crouch as Yang snapped "There's no way I'll believe you're my son!"

Dark Bane's eyes with his permanently activated Kakugan in this form widened "Believe what you will, you won't live long enough to figure out the truth...I am the darkness in Band's heart given form thanks to Kami weakening his mind enough that he can't fight back against me" Dark Bane opened his fangled mouth creating a condensed mass of dark magic in a ball that shrank as he condensed it further before closing his mouth, doubling the rate that this power grew as he opened and fired at Yang, missing but barely catching his shoulder in his narrow escape as he winced.

_'I can't let him hit me with that or I'm done for before this even starts'_ Yang thought as Dark Bane closed his mouth again before firing shots at a rapid rate which Yang was able to dodge easier that the long steady beam he fired first "Die already!"

Like Bane, Dark Bane was getting frustrated already as Bane dodged the last one as Bane snarled while it was still close enough to him "Detonate!" He said as Yang said "What?!" before the blast detonated and sent him through three large buildings.

He survived but was not faring well glaring at Bane coming from the sky at him claws first "She just had to make me promise that I'd survive this, huh?" He cursed himself, not seeing how he'd keep that promise to Tsume as he rushed it and punched Dark Bane in the jaw.

Yin then takes over, but Dark Bane barely flinched as he slashed Yin across the chest "My pain will only stop once I kill you...you will die because Bane is no more" he smiled Reilly causing Yin to become furious "Like damn hell, you have to kill me but I'll stop you first..." he narrowed his eyes dangerously "even if I have to die in the process..." he said that part to himself.

**A/N - Kami has finally retaliated against the other Ghoul Lords and has taken control of Bane again, setting him on his own parents...can Yang find a way though a dark he's all to familiar with in order to save Bane from himself or will Kami finally kill J'onn and the other Ghoul Lords before taking Tsume to be his bride? I'm thinking of a story with if Yang was evil (similar to Kami in this story) and forced Bane to seek Kami out when his father tries to feed on him like cattle, Tsume would be dead (already disposed of by Yang) in that story and Bane and Yang will join the Brotherhood and X-Men respectively in that one...anyway R&amp;R. Bane transformation is based on Kurama's Sussano'o Armor in Naruto Shippuden but on a smaller scale and with a wolf.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 22**

**Tsume ran through the forest, only thing on her mind was her husband and son...which made her a dangerous force to be reckoned with for anyone else.**

**Little did she know, Chad (having lost his previous prey before stumbling upon her) was following her until she stopped which he also did.**

"Come out, I know you're there but not why you chose to follow me" she asked as she heard eerie chuckles coming from her pursuer.

**Chad decided to not show his presence until he was definite she could sense it...he was right in his assumption that she was a quick learner to know that she was even being followed but not that quick.**

"No one has ever noticed my presence as fast as you just did..." Chad suddenly appears before her emotionless and stoic as always, even as he smiles "I like you"

Tsume wastes no time "I don't care!" visions of her abuse at the hands of Kami fuelling the fire of her anger as he received a shadow uppercut that knocked him up on a tree branch, seemingly untouched as he jumped at her and backhanded her into a tree which her head made an impact that would leave a normal human with brain damage "come to me, deadly beauty..." He looked into her eyes "you stink of fear, but I can tell you're not human otherwise I'd have knocked you unconscious already"

"What are you talking about, I am a normal human" Tsume felt the need _NOT_ to let him know she was a mutant as he snapped "normal my ass, what are you?" He demanded, a look of disgust but interest on his face

"A mutant who is already married to a Ghoul" Tsume admitted as Chad puts two and two together "Ah, so you're Kami's stubborn bride to be" he gave an evil chuckle "You're marrying him if it's the last thing I see you do"

"Why not you?" Tsume said pretending to be attracted to him, though it came off as needy in his eyes "I am not picky"

"But I am...plus, you're annoying and not my type" Chad charged at Tsume but hit something dark as she created a shadow wall between them and jumped away as he kicked it apart.

"Not all male Ghouls are sex driven maniacs like Kami-baka, apparently...I guess in the case of my son's new friends, anyway." She whispered but forgot about a Ghoul's sensitive hearing when Chad's head swiveled in her direction but ended up splitting the tree with little effort as she physically phased into it.

**Chad tried to remain calm, despite his anger that he knew was his very exploitable weakness. He activated his Ghoul powers at once as well.**

_'I can't get close to him...'_ Tsume thought

_'She can't get close to me and may not risk it again'_ Chad thinks at the same time, a psychotic smirk on his face as he turned around _'cuz I'll knock her clear out of her pretty little shoes as soon as she's within arm's reach, but try to keep her alive...barely'_

Tsume's eyes widened in fear _'He'll kill me for sure if I don't kill him first'_

**Suddenly, he saw a shadow fist coming at him and tried to absorb it, but found that it was more a projection of her being as it grabbed his arm in a fierce grip rather than punching him again, giving her enough time to connect their shadows on the ground and immobilize him through it.**

"What sorcery is this?!" He managed to growl despite barely able to move anything "I-I can't absorb it."

"That's because it isn't soncery..." Tsume said "I take it your arm with the shield absorbs magical energy and redirects it to the sender with double the force through the other arm and I'm no match for you in physical combat"

"How dare you, you little-" Chad's forehead had bulging vein that was threatening to pop with rage as the shadows swallowed him in a ball "this is far from over, woman..." He said before he was gone and Tsume was on the verge of passing out, hoping it really was over.

**Inside the sphere, Chad looked very disturbed and disgruntled despite his outward silence. He was hoping he didn't have to use his mask here.**

"I wonder..." Chad said to himself, looking at his left palm before cautiously touching the shadow holding him captive but quickly pulled back in reluctance as purple sparks radiated from the reaction of him trying to absorb a shadow as he gasped, his other hand keeping him from falling over as it didn't have absorption but amplification/expulsion/repelling abilities of whatever he absorbed where magic was concerned but not this.

"Here goes nothing" Chad smirked, reaching behind his back as a flashing glow was seen for a second before he pulled out a mask, a Gecko mask "I told you...this is far from over" his hand with his mask began shaking, he hates having to use his mask as he can cause as much damage to himself as he could others with this power up.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Yamamoto was moving fast through the forest...like Kami, his imposing size never stops him from moving with great speed as he made it to the Binge Eaters' decided side of the city and began searching for Yang and Bane which wasn't hard with the spheres of unnerving dark magic in almost all directions, successfully finding Yin who wasn't happy with or interested in changing Bane back to human.**

"There you are..." Yamamoto said as Yin glared at him "Where's Bane?"

Yin narrowed his eyes dangerously before nudging his chin "you're looking at him...what're you doin' here, anyway?"

"I'm the only one who understands what he's going through now" he looked at Dark Bane for the first time when he actually howled as he whispered to himself "What have you become?"

"Kill...must keep killing" Dark Bane murmured as he went for Yin who he'd managed to hit several times now "Yang Hiachi must die...must pay!"

He stopped and kept snarling when Yamamoto Hatake came between them knowing that he won't be attacked as he wasn't the target

"Not today" Yamamoto warned before snapping "Bein wa, sore no seigyo o torimasu" (Bane, take control of it) he tried to get through to Bane as he dodged Dark Bane's attacks and caught one of the dark spheres he shot from his mouth with his bare hands and shoved it back into his mouth, blowing him back _"Anata wa subete no koto o ushinaitakunai, sore wa anata ga... Anata ni kichōna mono o oboete seigyo dekinai... Sore wa subete o sutemasu!" _(Don't let it control you...remember what's precious to you, do you want to lose all that...throw it all away?!)

A dark aura enveloped him for a second "Fight Kami's control, goddamn it!" He said as he transformed into his human/animal hybrid form known as Eto.

"Tell me" Eto spoke directly to Bane "Do you like being a puppet on Kami's string so much?"

"Meditate..." Eto said as Bane's shadow finally manages to crawl to his, Dark Bane sitting to meditate under Eto's given control but fighting it as he could still move most parts of his own body of his own will.

"I'll kill Yang, then Kami" Dark Bane made eye contact with Yamamoto "then the rest will follow, especially Eto!"

"Wait, Kami's no longer controlling you?" Yang said as he was about to go over to him but Eto stopped him "No...Kami isn't in control but I don't sense your son anywhere within this creature either"

"What?" Yang coughed but went ignored as Eto snarled "Get away, you'll only do as much damage as Kami, no offence" Yang shot the Ghoul a nasty glare, he should know well enough to tread lightly where Yang and Kami are concerned but stepped back.

Yamamoto meant to offend him, although he wasn't meaning to compare him to Kami as Yang growled "What're you supposed to mean by that?" as Yamamoto grunted "Exactly what I meant, unless you prefer him slaughtering you, that is" Yang shook his head as he continued "...now shut it and let me concentrate"

Both were quiet for a moment, as Yamamoto's voice seemed to echo although he was still Eto.

"Bane...it's me, Yama-jii and if you can hear the sound of my voice, concentrate on it and returning to your human form"

Suddenly there was a response but something's trying to suppress it.

"I thought...you said...not to call you that..." Yang could hear the struggle in Bane's voice as both returned to their human forms slowly but surely and Yamamoto hugged him before he smashed his face on the ground.

"I feel weak..." Bane said weakly with half lidded eyes as he passed out, but as Yang took one step towards them to see if he was okay, his eyes snapped open attentively glaring at him saying 'back the hell off' wordlessly.

Yamamoto looked torn, he hated seeing his friends helpless like Ryuken when he first received his namesake scar from Kami, the sudden disappearance of his whole Clan along with his sister and now Bane's, uncontrollable as it is unpredictable and monstrously powerful, ascended form that was nameless and probably far too strong for Kami, let alone Bane himself, to fully control "The first transformation usually takes a lot of you" he nodded for Yang to try coming closer "but you have something I lacked during my first transformation...family and someone with equal experience and we're brothers from now on, I'll kill anyone who messes with you" he grips Yang's shoulder to prove that he was not excluded "...anyone."

**The darkness still coming off Bane unnerved him but he kept it to himself despite Yamamoto probably already noticing it.**

"Ready to go kick Kami's ass, Yama-jii?" Yang regretted the last part as Yamamoto's elbow hit him in the groin harder than any crowbar, knocking him to the ground comically though anyone who laughed would be made to regret it.

"Who the fuck gave you permission to call me that, huh?!" He snapped as the man fell to his knees and Bane fell unconscious and Yamamoto continued berating him "See, look what trouble you've caused...dumbass, I'll do all in my power to heal him though" he smirked as Yang's confidence that Bane would survive took a nosedive "Don't make that face, he's your son which means he's too strong, not to mention stubborn, to just roll over and die like you are." Yang smiled a bit at that, his confidence returning a bit as he nods but remains silent.

**Suddenly, the air went still as the two left as quickly as possibly to find Tsume but found that they were being watched.**

"You feel that...Yang?" Yamamoto looked around alert, but not cautious as Yang nodded but remained silent. But the feeling went away as fast as it came.

Yang's demeanor barely changed though, he couldn't relax at all knowing that they were almost certainly being followed.

* * *

**Back with Kami, amidst chaos, Kami and J'onn haven't moved from their gruelling stare down and the others were trying to stop Bjorn from destroying them all.**

Briarios was running out of patience, which wasn't his strong suit anyway "Let's intervene..." But Tsu Chen shook her head "Not if you wish to fight them both at the same time"

This wasn't something Briarios didn't know, but he just wanted Kami and this mess to end as he looked up at Bjorn, still on the rooftop looking maniacal.

"We need the boy...Bane" he said turning to walk away before glancing at Bjorn once more "I'll see if I can find him...alone, you two need to _STOP_ king jackass up there in any way possible" he didn't look to see them agree or not as he left and thought 'Bjorn...what're you even thinking using a spell like that in a place like this?' He thought moving fast with his eyes in the sky as he swore meteors, each twice the size of the city and then some, began appearing in the sky but not raining down yet 'Like hell if I let you kill any innocent souls here without a fight!'

On his way, he crossed paths with Tsume as both stopped and stared at each other "You" she leered but he simply looked at her with his head lowered slightly and narrowed eyes at the power he sensed within her shadow "I hope there's no misunderstandings between us, Mrs. Asakura" he said finally, he won't say her name until given permission as proof that not all Ghoul Lords are as almighty as they're usually seen to be in the eyes of others.

Tsume looked at him and shook her head "No, why would there be?"

"Death isn't the worst thing that can happen in the case of those two" he spoke of Kami and Bane "but Bane isn't as guilty as his father for his failure to teach him our ways and rules to begin with...I apologize if I gave the impression that we'd kill Bane"

He bowed to her as she said giddily "So Bane's innocent?" but Briarios bursts her bubble "I said he wouldn't die...I never said he wasn't still guilty and there will be consequences that are made to make sure he remember never to do such things again, the same cannot be said for Kami, by the way, where is Bane?"

"Go bury yourself somewhere..." Tsume replied rudely "I'm not one to say this but your laws are really too self-centred" she said as Briarios kept a serious, bored expression "...no offence"

Briarios stared at the shadow Tsume had Chad trapped in for a moment again as she watched him closely but averted her eyes when he turned his eye to her "head the way I came and find the others...and Kurosaki while I find your family for you, I will protect them although I don't trust you husband and it has little to do with Kami" the two nodded and went their separate ways.

* * *

**Back with Kami, he grew tired of waiting but part of him hates to see such sadness in his former master's eyes, that won't stop him from removing him from his way though, but he had to use his mind...the wrong move with this Ghoul Lord could cost him more than life and limb regardless of their past relationship.**

"Get out of my way!" Kami growled and swung a punch expecting J'onn to dodge or hit him back, none of which happened as he was punched in the cheek and gave a sorry smile.

"Weak..." J'onn whispered knowing Kami was hearing him "even you are able to knock me across this city if you wanted, but this is pathetic...I would prefer not to hurt you and that you stop on your own before going too far though."

Kami stepped back, holding his head and glaring that his master somehow brought him down to one knee without so much as lifting a thumb "Why...why do you torment me so?" Kami said as J'onn went to him and touched his shoulder and was about to say something when Kami interrupted "Shut up, I don't need excuses and don't touch me" he rose back to his full height before swatting his hand aside.

"Oh, Kuro..." J'onn said to himself "Is this how far you've fallen?"

A dark aura surrounded Kami as he heard his old nickname "That name...I thought I was clear never to use that dead man's name again!"

"And here I thought you'd learned your lesson already about getting on my nerves" J'onn lowered his head as Kami came back, but the punch was dodged too easily as J'onn's palm radiated red and a simple palm to Kami's chest sent him flying.

"I wish I didn't have to do this...Bjorn...Kami" he looked to the sky for a moment "but I'm not being given much choice here, am I?" He braced himself that he will not kill Kami, he loves him too much but he is _NOT_ sitting idly by anymore as the city he has worked so hard for is reduced to cinders by the very man who is supposed to lead his people to a better life without war.

**Kami noticed the change in J'onn, as even his scent changed and he looked downright sadistic while still looking anguished and torn.**

"Now we're talking...if you think I'll hold back for you sake, I won't make that mistake" he said as that last jab did hurt a lot more than it was supposed to as J'onn donned his mask, passing his hand over his face as his mask, the (Wingless) Dragon, appeared and Kami became worried as his own mask was broken by Bane just before they were freed from their prison.

Kami stood still and smiled evilly with his head lowered, a burning aura around him "I'm going to skewer and fry Bane alive when I get my hands on him for destroying my mask...but for now" Kami activated his little power up "Bjorn, let's see which of us will destroy this city first!"

Bjorn simply scowled as his expression slowly turned evil but didn't give Kami a response before growling calmly "So be it, Kurosaki"

He knew he was being baited by Kami but it didn't matter as he was finished with only one of his most powerful and devastating spells "You're taking up space in my city, to ash with all of you!"

"Hellfire Barrage!" Kami laughed like a psychopath as J'onn watched in ever growing rage as he could still see Kurosaki in pain "Kuro..." He said a tear on his cold face, seeping through his mask as Kami's hand raised and Bjorn's fell.

"The only way to stop you may not be killing you, but I will try it first" Bjorn spoke in first-person, a sign that he wasn't residing in his body at the moment and shit just got really real, really fast "Starfall" he said as large meteors, some from his otherworldly portal began raining down on the city, killing Ghouls by the hundreds as Kami's fireballs rained down on the other Ghoul Lords, Bartalos taking cover to some degree as Tsu Chen was burned right at Kami's feet, though he didn't even care to glace down when his ankle was death gripped by her.

**Bjorn snaked his way past fireballs as he smacked a few aside with his bare hands as he watched the chaos unfold.**

J'onn saw it fit to attract Tsume close to him to protect her as waves of kinetic energy deflected the minority of the flames, he was more concerned with watching Kami in horror that falling star at the moment.

Elsewhere, Kami's fire blasts even reached deep into the forest where Yang, Bane and Yamamoto were as Briarios arrived in time to hover midair above them, taking the full brunt of Kami's powerful attack, he wasn't harmed too badly as he wasn't the most physically resilient Ghoul Lord just for show but willed himself to stay hovering though he fell unconscious before everyone's world went white and Kami slammed his palm on the ground and said "Dark Thread..." though he words weren't audible and a black string came out of his arm and burrowed into the ground.

When it all cleared, aside from several destroyed and obliterated buildings, the battlefield was relatively intact causing Bjorn to gasp slightly as the smoke cleared revealing a thin layered net that reduced his meteors to toothpicks and left the users of both spells drained and Kami barely alive though he managed to barely stand before J'onn and made grabs at him before his consciousness fades.

"Why won't you stop?" J'onn asks dodging Kami's weakened attempts at clawing him and grabbing Tsume "if you keep this up, you will die"

"And...why would I care...when you don't even care?!" Kami snarled at the way J'onn looked at him with pity "She's mine, not yours...I will never die until I see you pay, I won't allow such a thing to happen knowing finally who stole my past from me"

Everyone's faces blanked at that, Bjorn turning slightly to glare at J'onn who smiled wickedly "So, you knew I was suppressing your memories from returning, huh?" He said as Kami snapped "That's nothing new, I want answers...who am I, was I born human, is my family alive" Kami glared darkly "Did I ever even have one to begin with?!"

J'onn was backed into a wall by Kami, but luckily he was losing consciousness "I swear...you'll. All. Pay." Kami swore his vengeance as he passed out on J'onn's chest, tears soaking his shirt as all the still conscious Ghoul Lords glared at each other, doubt high that that they would ever cross paths again on good terms as J'onn was frozen, unable to even touch Kurosaki.

He thought back to when Kami first became a Ghoul Lord and asked him about why the Binge Eaters were secluded from the other Ghouls.

* * *

_...Flashback start..._

_An adult Kami and J'onn was walking through the city...J'onn had a gift for him, though he was blindfolded and was being guided by holding J'onn's shoulder until they stopped._

_"Where are we, J'onn-sama?" J'onn heard the newest Ghoul Lord grunt impatiently "Watashi was ima, kono mekakushi o toru koto wa dekimasu ka?" (Can I take this blindfold off now?) Kami tried to remove the blindfold but his hand was swat painfully with a stick J'onn had "Ow, stop it, I want to go celebrate!" His ears perked at the sound of Ghouls celebrating_

_"Just a moment longer, then you can get all the alcohol you can consume" he chuckled as Kami licked his lips, already tasting the Jin and different alcoholic drinks J'onn had given him as one of the gifts many Ghouls gave him._

_He felt J'onn let him go "You can take it off now, Kami" he heard and pulled the blindfold off to see one of the largest homes in the city and that he's ever seen, having never had a home before coming here "T-this is..."_

_"All yours...Kami, our newest Ghoul Lord" J'onn said "I heard you say you were moving from place to place before coming here...you were alone"_

_"I always had Yang and other kids with me..." He looked aside "all we had was each other..."_

_J'onn frowned and touched Kami's shoulder "Not anymore"_

_"The other Ghoul Lords...they don't like me" Kami said what was on his mind "Why did you not treat me like they do?"_

_"Why should I?" J'onn frowned seeing his friend's unknown sadness "After all, I can't treat you like trash maybe because I know what it feels like to be alone...don't you find it weird that a Cajun is a Ghoul Lord in a position meant for a Japanese man?"_

_"Hn..." Kami shrugged in indifference "It isn't the weirdest thing I've seen, but I do see your point...master." He bowed but found Yang suddenly appearing beside him mirroring him making him laugh._

_"What're you doing, little one?" The young new Ghoul Lord couldn't hold his laugh as Yang laughed as well "you're silly sometimes, Kami-sensei" as Kami pushed two fingers at his forehead as Kami approached the boy "and who is this?" He asked as he held the young Ghoul's head to see his astounding dark red eyes._

_'Watashinonamaeha Yan Hiachi arimasu' (My name is Yang Hiachi) Young Yang bowed to J'onn who stared at Kami for an answer._

_"Remember when I said I raised some other young Ghouls?" Kami chuckled a bit "This is Yang, one of the oldest and a rebel at heart...who shouldn't even be here" Kami poked Yang in the head with two fingers as Yang pouted as Kami looked at him "think you could watch over the others, Yang-kun?"_

_"Yeah, are we going to leave again?" Yang asks with his frown turning to his characteristic wolfish grin "because I like it here"_

_Kami shook his head and pointed at the other building where all the other Ghouls they'd met before coming here resided temporarily as he stopped him "this should stay our little secret for now" he said as Yang left._

_J'onn looked on as he left "What a wonderful happy youngster..." He laughed as Kami frowned "He's...not happy"_

_"Why would you say that, Kuro?" J'onn said noticing Kami was dead serious as he rose an eyebrow "He isn't happy...I know that look because he's only mirroring a look I thought I was so good at hiding from him until recently" Kami involuntarily fell to his knees "his parents...one of them must've been a Ghoul that had been trying to eat the poor kid and was nearly successful if his magical spark hadn't awakened, he's powerful enough to wipe the floor with even you, master, but he's seen them die...twice"_

_"Twice?" J'onn asked with only one other question in mind "How?"_

_"Some premonition, I believe" Kami said "I don't know but I pried a bit and he told me that was even before they were ever killed, a rare sight of precognition beyond that of a normal Ghoul and are we calling each other nicknames now with the 'Kuro' thing, J'onn Luc'?"_

_Little did they know Yang was watching...well Kami chose not to acknowledge it, knowing Yang like the back of his hand as something caught the young Ghoul's attention._

_Yang heard a scream and peeked through the door to see a Ghostly being...a strange looking Demon called The One as he hovered off the ground...Kami had been researching this ungodly being for some time in hopes that he wouldn't know and learned that he, though he usually referred to himself as many of no gender and the former King of all Demons, Demon Lords included before he turned on them and they created the Ghouls in hopes of combatting his never before seen but undoubtedly real, since he's never lied, Endless Army. He is the only known true predator of the Ghoul species despite feeding on anything like humans and the girl he just killed._

_'What do we have here?' The One's grey ghostly body was ash grey with black lines trekking all over most of it's roughly humanoid body minus legs as one eye with a black sclera and a thin red pupil moved along the black lines, no hair or visible mouth as one of his clawed hands held a female Ghoul hovering in a barrier as he couldn't touch a Ghoul's skin without hurting him even if he'd already killed and fed on the soul of said young girl...Kami's best student besides Yang and both their best friend as the creature was about to leave, when Yang made a noise trying to see better without being detected causing The One to stop, his single eye moving behind him to look right at Yang, even looking into this eye for too long could have dire consequences as his fingertips turned black but he disappeared and Yang backed away from the door only to find himself face to face with the cyclopian eye again as the creature growled and drew closer to Yang who gasped "Oh, my God"_

_'God?' The One asks as he threw his previous meal aside and laughed evilly in many voiced 'Your God doesn't exist here, never did...I shall make the human saying of curiosity killing the Ghoul a heinous reality'_

_But Kami came out with a fluury of flames before The One could go through with whatever it had planned for Yang, turning to glare at his new walking plethora of souls and saw a power in Kami's soul that he couldn't devour or resist, narrowing it's eye._

_"The One..." J'onn growled as he stood still and the creature snarled "Lucario, my coveted underling" he shivered with a dark chuckle and J'onn shivered from being possessed by the being for merely fifteen minutes._

_"Bane, get away from that thing!" Kami's priority was getting his student he thought of as a son away from The One, who has been killing Japanese Ghoul Lords found to be unworthy as he turned to a gust from Yang but he shoved his arm through Yang's chest before being alerted to Kami's fireballs as the former King of Demons saw something in Kami's soul he craved more than Yang's or J'onn and the flames didn't bother him as much as the light burned his translucent skin and eye as he rushed in and entered Kami's body and apparently had to fight his powerful consciousness and Will of Fire before painfully taking over his new body despite J'onn's attempts to prevent it and drag him out._

_There were six Japanese born Ghoul Lords prior to Kami who thought they were deserving of this rank, all proven wrong after being killed off by the mysterious demonic entity, The One._

_The One took a different route with Kami though, making him see just how he was being used to kill his own kind off to appease the former King's lust for Ghoul blood in particular._

_'Submit to my will...or die' The One warned Kami's mind as the Ghoul refused to even fall to one knee "Get...out!"_

_Kami tried to force the entity out but it proved to be futile as The One laughed sadistically 'Watch what you hold dearest burn to ash at your own hands then'_

_J'onn tried to remove the Demon quickly, even using previous methods that have worked before but Kami grabbed his wrist with a dark chuckle as he rose to show his black possessed eyes as he threw J'onn into a wall with one hand._

_'Must kill...' Kami made his way slowly to J'onn as Yang yelled "Sensei, this is not you...fight it!" Yang said as Possessed Kami turned to him 'Whatever made you think the me you knew was ever the real me...give your teacher your soul, boy' Kami charged at Yang and grabbed his neck almost full strength, easily ably to snap his neck with a twitch...strength Kami had never used but his own natural strength._

_Suddenly, J'onn used the distraction to touch Kami's back with a powerful enough Seal-Breaking spell._

_"Return from whence you came, demonic creature!" J'onn said as Kami/The One turned to glare at him before being expelled through Kami's mouth and disappearing and both fell...Kami knocked out as Yang remained with his master until then, two days and Kami was awake but not back to himself to find Yang laying on his stomach._

_"What happened...to me?" He questioned himself rubbing his head as he felt like his head was run over repeatedly as Yang was laying on him...a look of terror on his face as he was grabbed by the scruff "Yang, what happened?"_

_"You attacked us...possessed by..." Yang trailed as J'onn came to his door._

_"May I come in, Kuro?" He turned to glare at the door replying "Not if you don't have some valid answers for me as to what happened"_

_"You were possessed by an entity called the One" J'onn said upon entering the room, Kami knew he was serious although he remembered being trapped within himself by pure evil "You almost killed Yang and myself as well before I could banish the spirit."_

_Kami looked at his hands "that thing...was no mere spirit, it took something out of me and replaced it with something else...something terrifyingly evil" this, over some time, drew Kami to learning Dark Magic in all the wrong ways, for power and his own selfish needs awakened during his possession by The One opposed to what Ghouls should use it for, Knowledge, as most of the smartest Ghouls were masterful adepts of Dark Magic which opposed the aggressiveness of the Fire Magic he was already extremely skilled at. He kept his truest nature hidden behind a good facade, especially in J'onn's presence as his hatred grew and the coming Binge War made it all the worse, causing Kami heartache when the memories of his past, which were not much to begin with, were erased from his mind, the more he resisted this the more physically and mentally painful it became as he had flashes of memories of The One from time to time as if the two were one and the same as he looked through the being's eye both past and on rare occasions, present._

_...Flashback end.._.

* * *

"Can't you see it's beyond your power to save me?!" Kami snapped angrily "Why are you so persistent?!"

"Because, as Yang was once your student...you were mine" J'onn said "I will help you even if we both have to die in the process"

"Somebody's gonna die, we can agree on that" Kami smiled evilly "first Kuro died, now his beloved master shall follow."

"Aargh!" Kami burned J'onn across the chest "killing me won't change anything...it won't change what you've let yourself become!"

Kami pulled him close "It's a start..."

"So...that's what he's done..." Azazel appeared above them, he heard everything "I'm afraid I agree with that Angel scum...Kami Kurosaki must die-"

"By whose hand?" Kami cut him off looking up at Azazel but pointing at J'onn "His?...sorry but my former sensei holds me too dear to actually kill me, he'd be a force to be reckoned with if he had the balls though and you need to get in my belly for protection."

"The same cannot be said for this one, though" Azazel said pointing up to show that Bjorn was missing as were the other Ghoul Lords and black portals appeared very close to Kami, an energy inside blowing him back, clearly hoping to catch J'onn in the blast.

Kami was blown back as he noticed Tsume's shadows engulfing him...J'onn tried to stop her but a sand wall stopped him as Tsujin appeared not far.

"Sorry...don't go after him" Tsujin warned angrily "or I'll hurt you or worse, him" he turned to glare at Kami "Whatever he gets he deserves and you need to get a grip!"

"How could you keep information like this to yourselves, you ingrates!" Bartalos snapped as he landed on Kami, who had more than enough time to evade, pinning him to the ground "Seal" he placed his palm on Kami's chest sealing his Ghoul powers off as long as that skin deep seal remains as a separated Yin Yang symbol that once activated locks together sealing him with tattoos that looked like black chains.

**J'onn was outwardly calm but tearing up inside by the dark look he had given Kami...meaning that he'd kill him if he even thinks of escaping.**

Tsume's shadow suddenly shattered, revealing a very gloomy Chad who was about to attack Tsume but the look Kami gave him with all his killing intent knocked him to his knees.

"What...is this feeling?" Chad snapped as Kami replied "I dare you to lay hands on her and, even in my weakened state" Kami glared at him "I will rip you limb from limb until nothing is left!"

**Suddenly, a voice alerted everyone as Briarios, Yang and Yamamoto with an unconscious Bane landed from the sky. Briarios landing on Chad and he weighed a lot more that he appeared as Chad felt crushed.**

"Bane!" Tsume ran up to Yamamoto "What did you do and what happened to your clothes?" She shot Yang a look, causing Yamamoto to get behind him, should she attack someone.

"He would've ripped me limb from limb if Hatake-san hadn't arrived, but he's alive...

"The ceremony will be tomorrow...in the city centre" Briarios said pointing at Bane "Make sure he's there...the entire city is to be there"

"Woah..." Tsujin said wide eyed "Isn't that a bit...much to embarrass the man publicly?"

Kami chose to remain silent but watched Tsujin, this was the first time he heard him call him a man as opposed as a monster or something less man and more monster at least but remains silent, staring back at the ground.

"There's more to this than his pride" Briarios scowled, stomping Chad's face into the ground and looking at Tsume "This is going to be a lesson that even Ghoul Lords aren't as omnipotent as others and sometimes, we ourselves think we are"

"Yang...are you okay?" Tsume found her husband was too quiet "You've been a bit quiet"

One look into Kami's eyes and Yang saw a warning for him not to try changing anything just to keep him around, as all they've had was each other prior to this.

Everyone else also had their own reactions to this and freedom returning to their lives finally.

"Finally...I've freed my clan and saw my friend smile again" Yamamoto said to himself glancing at Scar then Bane "Arigato, nii-san"

"Now we're even, Kami" Scar said "you even think about my sister and I'll murder you"

Tsujin, Tsume and Yang were silent as Yang took his son from Yamamoto.

Eventually, all the other Ghouls had left leaving Yang, Bane who was conscious now but a bit wobbly and Kami after persuading Tsume to stop glaring at every slight movement he made and go to Yamamoto and Scar's house.

Kami finally looked at him "It's getting late, Yang...why are you two still here?" He kept growling "It's getting late"

"We both know that we don't have need for sleep and you'll have do better than that to get rid of me" Yang knelt to be face to face with him "You are my master after all...you wouldn't leave me if I were in your position"

"Willing to bet that?" Kami smiled darkly but it faded when Yang hugged him "What the-?"

"I wish I could've protected you like you've protected me, please forgive me." Yang said as Kami's hand slowly came up to hold him, his face straight hiding his emotions and sadness.

"I don't have the energy to push you away, teme" Kami scolded looking into Bane's eyes "get off me before I bite you goddamn ear off!"

Yang wasn't listening until Kami really did nick his ear as he jumped back "Hey...you still had so much to teach us"

"Go away, Yin-Yang and leave me with the boy" Kami silenced him with a glare "if I wanted to hurt him, I would've by now, GO HOME!" He scolded as Yang nodded.

"I won't be far, to you can catch up" Yang told Bane before leaving.

Bane was about to follow, having nothing to say to Kami until he stopped him "You saw him...didn't you?" Kami asked as Bane turned to him "You saw and spoke with Kuro"

"I did...I hope never to see you again though" Bane said as Kami continued "So you're not willing to 'save' me even if it means you'll have to 'kill' me as you threatened to do?"

"I won't let you get away with hurting my family" Bane said angrily, like his mother as Kami smiled evilly "Ah, that's the spirit...and since I raised Yang, I think that makes me your grandfather" Kami revealed as Bane was shocked.

"Good riddance, Bane Asakura" Kami bowed "you've earned my respect, but I'm curious...how did it feel turning into that wolf and holding more power than even J'onn or me?"

Bane felt it, that thing was still there inside him trying to claw it's way out as Kami watched his inner struggle.

"Why fight something that's a part of you?" Kami asked as Bane snapped "created by you...you turned me into a monster"

"Poor, delusional child" Kami shook his head "I can't create something like that, it's a part of you" he explained "I only broke the chains keeping that power bound in an unreachable part of your own soul...a hug?"

Bane stepped back "Go fuck yourself" he said as Kami frowned "I'm not fond of you using such language to my face...I still have strength to kick you little ass, datte" he threw a key to Bane's feet "Go to my house alone, the door is never locked, and find a gold chest that you'll be able to unlock with that key. I meant to give it to Yang, give it to him for me" Kami urged him "from Kuro..." Bane was gone after that, glancing at Kami for a moment as he half-faked sadness.

Once he was alone, Kami meditated but one tear ran down his face past his demonic smile "Finally, I'm free...if only he knew that Ghoul Lords aren't usually allowed to leave their office for too long, let alone their city alone."

**Elsewhere, something dark was subtly manipulating the city's weather, causing a dark and gloomy rain...from his height he could see Kami and Bane but they were completely unaware of him until Kami turned for a minute and looked right at him but saw nothing due to him becoming invisible. He was the true cause of this mess, The One.**

"If it isn't my soon-to-be host" the One's singular eye watched from above "That foolish Ghoul Lord did something to break our bond and force me out the last time but it will change nothing the next time we meet" he laughed evilly as as he left but his eye turned to Bane and Yang.

"You..." The One snarled upon seeing Yang but decided that he'll have his time.

**A/N - Kami is now hours away from being banished but he seems glad about it...The One is the creator of the Demon Lords though they want to kill him (I based his appearance on Ghostfreak in the original Ben 10 but his powers includes possession or one or many bodies, hive mind and ability to control past victims of possession, God-like speed, agility and strength, intangibility, invisibility, weather manipulation, shapeshifting, telepathy and telekinesis among others and sunlight cannot kill him though he prefers darkness) but what is everyone planning now? R&amp;R and find out...maybe The One will go after Michael and the X-Men too...he is more determined with world domination than the Ghoul Lords or Demon Lords after all. R&amp;R and enjoy!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 23**

**Ryuken, Yang and company had joined the humans back at Ryuken's home as they decided to safely sleep without being harmed except for one Nobunaga Uchino and Yang's pining away was grating the nerves of every male in the house but Uchino who didn't really care, Azazel who cared even less and was more bothered by the feeling that The One may be nearby but doesn't yet know of Kami, Yang and J'onn's first encounter with The One.**

**Yamamoto's mouth was about slip and he wasn't going to regret this as he meant to bring it up why he was looking for Yang in the first place during his tussle with Dark Bane nearly killing primarily him, even though he was likely to attack anyone, still being far out of Bane's control.**

**Yang was beginning to lose hope that the Ghoul Lords, who he downright hates for their accusations of him, weren't going to kill Kami as well as Bane or even him if he keeps interfering as he has so far but couldn't bring himself imagining Kami dying by anyone's hands, especially his own.**

"Who do they think they are, accusing me, my son and Kami like that and watching us?" Yang said to himself looking at his hands "Kami..."

_'Dakura iraira...'_ (So frustrating...) Yamamoto slams his fist on the desk, alerting everyone and waking some of the sleeping humans as he snaps at Tsume "Asakura, come deal with your husband, while you still have one!"

"What the hell is going on, Yamamoto-san?" Tsume looked unamused by the look on Yang's face.

"Still bothered by the trial, I see" Scar leaned against the wall watching Yang all along with a face that meant death for anyone to screwed with him, even Yamamoto avoided eye contact "break anything dear to me and I'll break you, Hiachi..." He warned, not any happier about Kami and Bane's predicament than anyone else.

"Kami's innocent...if the things he's done were so detrimental, why haven't they already killed him?" He asked as Yamamoto froze him with a glare "because you can't seem to get it though your thick head that the man that raised you no longer exists and you need to stop defending someone that clearly no longer exists in that monster who wouldn't even do the same for you!" He got to his feet ready for Yang to confront him "teach the boy our goddamn ways and stop bitching over Kami's mental state and interrupting me trying to help you son!"

"Why would I expect _you_ to understand...your master hasn't turned to the dark side...not completely yet anyway" he shot Scar a knowing look and both clenched their fists "put yourself in my shoes...Kami raised me and more than a hundred Ghouls without families on his own, he taught me everything I know." He pointed his finger inches from Yamamoto's face "I never once said I forgave him but imagine your master had been abusing your sister and killing off your oh-so-beloved clansmen, and worse began taking it out on even his own sister" Yang got between the two "Would you have it in you to kill each other?"

Yang felt the K.I raise in the air around the two "I'd kill him if he'd goes that route, no doubt..." Yamamoto said as Ryuken replied "I'd expect no less from one of my best students but I won't hold back either"

"Oy, people are trying to get some rest here, dattebayo?!" One of the humans snapped in the other room, which did wonders for Yang's foul mood.

"Yeah, just cuz you don't need sleep" another said sounding drunken "doesn't give you the right to ruin our rest!"

**Yang could smell the alchohol from where he was standing, even Tsume could before he looked at Nobu, who was sitting among them with no sign of sleep in his eyes, wordlessly.**

"Zaku-san, put away the alcohol now, teme" he snapped before a drunken reply of "yes, sir..."

"Where are you off to?" Tsujin said, preferring to remain silent during the three Ghouls' argument before they jumped down his throat about his nii-san, who also liked Ryuken's sister despite only himself knowing this.

"Out...to end this problem at the source" Yang retrieved his coat with the same cold, sad and solitary emotion "I could do without this...it's the same reason I never liked life in this city, I had no siblings and was often compared to Kami, the Ghoul Lord who raised me" Yang's eyes looked murderous but surprisingly not directed to anyone in the house "watch over Tsume and Bane and make sure they don't come after me...I'm going to do what I should've done years ago, pay my surrogate adoptive father one hell of a visit." He closed the door as he left, leaving all inside shocked as to what he was going to do.

"He's not going through with this alone, is he?" Tsujin spoke breaking the silence after a few minutes looking at Scar "I think we should retrieve some sustainence for our humble guests and allies" he looked at Yamamoto who nodded with a smile "What're we eating, boys?"

"Alcohol" one said and someone apparently tried to stab him for it before he said "Sushi, Teriyaki, Ramen...whatever you've got"

"Ooh, some Curry too, please" another said sounding more like a hungry Ghoul.

Yamamoto smiled "I'll start cooking, you go buy whatever we need and don't have" he tossed Ryuken some money and went to the kitchen.

"Coming, jin?" He looked at Tsujin who was sitting near a window and looking outside "I think I'll pass, I prefer to not stuff humans with food, I'm worried about J'onn and Yang...I can't blame both master and student" he was currently angry that they're taking things so lightly as Tsume piped up "I'll join you, but don't expect me to help with booze duty" she never understood men, be it human or Ghoul, and their obsession with alcohol.

**Tsume and Scar left the house, but they were being followed by The One, not in his regular form but disguised as a man with silver eyes, brown thick hair and deathly pale dark skin.**

The One smiled seeing his first prey but sensing more inside the house, minus who he was seeking, Yang, Kami and J'onn "That pesky Lucario isn't here..." The man said in a deep voice as he stalked Tsume and Scar "They'll do for now..."

* * *

**With Yang, he'd left the other for hours now as he got to a small decided area that Kuro liked to meditate in as he set his sheathed sword on the ground before him and got to doing just that. Memories of since his arrival into the city flooded his mind with a few very unpleasant one but eventually he managed to clear his mind and focus on nothing.**

**Kami had arrived...his magic was being drained by this seal he wore and when that wore out, his life energy will be drained enough that he won't be able to walk before it kills him when he came upon Yang.**

"Yang..." Kami knew why he was here, it was because he had a lot on his mind and didn't know what to do "Why are you here?"

**Yang didn't answer him but was aware of his presence even before he appeared as he gripped his sword murderously tight.**

**Kami kept his distance, he knew Yang was in anguish about everything that was happening and was murderous where his family, what little he has, was concerned but hoped he wouldn't have to kill him...then again, he did want to kill him as much as Yang wanted to kill him.**

"What do you think you're doing?" Kami asks as Yang's eyes opened wide with dried tears as he spoke "What I should've done the moment I came back here to this infernal city...what I intended to do." He swung his sword and missed Kami's throat but they made eye contact for a brief second before a gust sent Kami into the trees "...killing you, Master"

**He dashed after Kami as he managed to stop himself, a slash from ear to ear healing itself although the blade itself hadn't touched him.**

"You dare rape my family and think I'd stand idly by and let you get away with it?!" Yang snarled as Kami dodged a near fatal slash and smiled evilly "But you did, Yang, you just should've been there to watch Bane do nothing to stop _YOU_!"

Yang stopped "W-what?" as Kami's grin grew wider and he pulled out his own sword watching his student break down with a purely dark type of happiness "That's right, the entire time he saw you raping him and not me...regardless of his or your hatred for me, it goes far outweighed by his own hatred of you and since you're here, I can make you watch this time!"

Yang froze as only the sudden shaking of his body was a sign that he was still alive "Bad news, Kami-sama..." Yang said darkly as he staggered with a rage he just couldn't bottle up anymore "but I just heard the other Ghoul Lords are cancelling your final trial"

"What?" Kami gripped his own sword "How does that come as 'bad news' to me?"

"Well, I don't intend to let you live long enough to have a trial" Yang snarled, fighting back tears as he said through his teeth "I can't...I won't"

**The two then charged at each other and clashed swords as a red and gold aura was around Yang and a black around Kami as they began tearing each other apart.**

"Die, Master!" Yang snarled as Kami snarled at the same time "Learn your place, insolent student!"

* * *

**While a vengeful Kami and Yang took their frustrations out on one another, in another district of the city Tsume and Scar were on their way to the market when Ryuken noticed they were being followed by the One in disguise.**

"I hope you don't have a bad impression of us, Tsume...of Ghouls" Scar broke the silence as he looked at the ground and kept his hands in his pockets "we aren't evil by nature, at least we don't try to be"

"At least not all of you..." Tsume said "the others I've met can beg to differ."

"So, Yamamoto and I...even your own husband and son are no different from Kami?" Ryuken said glaring behind him but unable to see The One "please, allow me to change your impression" he grabbed her wrist, leading her into a crowd of Ghouls between them and the Marketplace.

**There were many different faces among the Ghouls that Tsume recognised upon coming to the city...they were regular civilians in the city the ones that benefited most depending on the Ghoul Lord's decisions and some weren't even Hunters like Yang and Tsujin were under Kami and were paid the most yen by his secret law-bending, but there were a few standing guard that Bane would recognize from when Kami lost his heart, they were called Peace Keepers and were ranked mainly by how well they kept the peace with little violence, equivalent to human police officers and wore actual uniforms. Yamamoto Hatake and Ryuken Salazar were among these ferocious warriors despite Ryuken being far younger that many of the Ghouls he and Yamamoto separately commanded. They were also the least paid by Kami's deceit and would benefit the most if Kurosaki stepped down and J'onn became their city's leader full time.**

"Try to enjoy yourself...no one will try to hurt you while I'm here" Scar said over the music as they climbed some stairs to face a fountain as Tsume, who was not dumb enough to not notice that something was on his mind "Why are we here and what's with the cops?" Tsume snarled at one of the two Peace Keepers that were trying to search her "Hands off and pray Yang doesn't see you"

"Standard procedure" one smirked "could never know what a lady like you could be hiding"

Suddenly, Ryuken cleared his throat at these moochers "Back off the lady before I make you regret it" Scar backhanded both men in the face and guided Tsume away cursing to himself as a voice called out to him.

"Found yourself a lady friend, I see, Ryu-san" a voice called out to Scar as he looked to see another pain in the ass, Yosuke Abarai, a man with red hair, grey eyes and covered in snake and lion type tattoos that his Ghoul Healing Factor seemed not to regect "does the lady have a name?" He slither his way in.

"Yeah, get lost, Abarai" Ruyken's arm got between then "let me make this clear, this woman is not to be harmed or touched by peace keepers" he scowled "If I don't get to you and that's a huge _if_...her even deadlier and crazier husband, who happens to be a former Hunter with a foul temper, will and it won't be pretty" Scar said as every Peace Keeper's eyes widened at him as he pushed Abarai away gently "He'll have a list with your names and what you look like on it, as well. Let's go, Tsume"

**Tsume nods and grabs Scar's arm to keep up.**

"Does that go for me as well?" All the Peace Keepers and even the few Hunters around had wide eyes at Azazel "You know that you're being followed, right?" He pointed at the man who was following them a few feet away as his eyes widened.

Tsume wasn't the type to run away as she stepped right up to him and stared into his eyes "Stop following us, it's rude!"

"I'm hungry and caught you two in my sight...I won't be swayed away so easily" he grinned but Tsume tried to push him and he sent her back with two fingers to the forehead and frowned "What a waste...you're lucky I love to play with my food"

"That's why Binge Eaters usually don't come here" a Peace Keeper that caught her said before confronting the man "Binge Eater...leave this place peacefully or else..."

"Or else _what_?" The man took one step to him when a voice interrupted.

"Get away from him...he's no Ghoul" a man in a Cheshire mask said in a calm voice as he stood on a pillar above with a researcher with him, Rokusho who replied "He's right...keep your distance cuz I'm NOT cleaning what's left of you off this nice place" he yawned in boredom

**The man with the Cheshire mask charged at the The One with his sword but he caught the blade with his bare hand while his eyes were locked on one of his son's eyes.**

"Azazel" he said with a smile "Why am I not surprised to see you here...but is this the best army you could muster to take me on?" He laughed mockingly as the Ghouls, although they were made in his likeness...to an animalistic extent, were not immune to fear if they spend too long in his presence, as fearless as they usually are.

**Azazel glared at him, completely on guard which Scar can't blame him for doing.**

"Ah, a mutant" he said stepping closer to Tsume with his hand extended "such a mystery, even to themselves but not created by my power...they tend to be cursed by their own gifts anyway" she stepped back as he touched her face softly and his eyes turned black but looked away, something catching his attention far away "There you are...Kami" he smiled evilly, returning to his original form, leaving Tsume and Scar shocked by his size...greater that J'onn's initial description as Ghouls attempted to flee the area except the most brave ones, the Hunters looking for fair game and the Peace Keepers to protect others, including the more stubborn Hunters

**The Ghoul with the Cheshire mask was swift, flying down and slashing The One several times and seemingly winning by The One's (completely over exaggerated) screams and he was taken down pretty easily...**

"Please don't..." The One went from faking fear to burning fury as it's tail smacked the warrior hard, knocking him into a hard wall, denting with the impact as the One dusted off "...make me laugh!" as it would've grabbed Tsume and Ryuken if not for Ryuken using a last ditch teleportation spell...though it was short ranged and The One was on their tail as they moved closer to where Yang was.

* * *

**Speaking of Yang, he managed to break Kami's sword...at the price of his own but was still attacking hand-to-hand, where Kami excelled over him but if he failed, he'd lose everything and that just can't happen again.**

"The old fashioned way?" Yang said clenching his fist "...and here I thought I wouldn't get my chance to choke the life out of you"

"...and you're wondering what I've become?" Kami growled "seems we both have a master we'd rather see dead by our own hands...too bad you can't kill me, never had it in you"

**Both glared at each other, Yang swinging several punches but only a few hit the far more experienced Kami who grabbed his arms, fully throwing the smaller Ghoul hard against a wall of solid rock as he rammed Yang into his self made crater then punched him at sonic speeds, easily crushing his ribs with each punch harder than the last.**

"I'll make you a permanent part of the landscape" Kami snarled

**Kami would've done just that if a burst of wind hadn't erupted from Yang's body**

Yang smiled weakly "I'll kill you...it's my duty as your student" he raised his two fingers covered in Kami's and his own blood and placed it on Kami's forehead as his powers raised a sword behind him "but that won't do if I can't win my own son's forgiveness...what was that?!"

**His eyes widened as he sensed an all too familiar evil coming their way that caused Kami's head and Yang's chest to hurt, forcing both to their knees as The One appeared.**

"There you are..." The One snarled as Kami's eyes widened "No..." as his face got closer "yes...I remember you but you seem not to remember me" The One said, having seen his memories and it was true, due to trauma cause by The One being abruptly forced out of him last time, Kami has no memory of actually being possessed but could never forget the feeling of it or The One.

**Kami grabbed Yang and dives aside as The One narrowly missed entering his body again.**

**Yang remembered everything Kami couldn't and regardless of his feeling towards Kami, he was determined not to let the creature get a hold of either of them.**

"Get up, let's get out of here!" He grabbed Kami and ran though Kami wouldn't dare protest despite still wanting to kill Yang as he suddenly fell to his knees.

Kami was becoming ill from simply being near The One "Yang, stop!" Yang wasn't listening until he mustered enough strength to yank his arm from his grasp, unable to go further "I must give him my body..." He said, entranced in The One's telepathic hold as he moved closer to the creature who gave a ghostly "yes..." But looked up to see Scar flying down on him and crushing him with a massive boulder.

"That should do..." He dusted his hands off as he jumped away and glared back at the offensive and now very offended creature before turning his glare to Azazel "You're the most useless teleporter, you couldn't just teleport us in?"

"If I did, he would hijack my teleportation to go where he sees fit" Azazel said with no emotion "I'm not risking that...unlike Kami and his namesake, we're dealing with an actual omnipotent God...not to mention power hungry and hungry in general"

"This changes nothing, Demon Lord" Kami snarls "I still want you dead and mounted on a wall"

**Again, Azazel shows no emotion until The One phased through the rock.**

"Ah, you can't defeat me so you resort to dropping a rock on top of me, Azazel?" The One said, his eye looking bloodshot with violent anger "Once I take Kurosaki's body for my own, I'll enjoy siphoning my power out of you!"

"What makes you think I'll allow you to do any of those things anyway?!" Azazel said teleporting in to stab The One's eye but it moved.

"Nuisance" he swatted Azazel away "you will learn never to get in my way soon enough"

**Suddenly, Kami stumbles to his feet, eyes black with anger earning a look from everyone but Azazel as he created a large Amatarasu-influenced fireball that was the biggest he'd ever created thus far, covering the entire group and threw it at The One.**

"Die!" Kami threw the fireball he held inches above his palms as everyone braced for impact.

Scar held he arm over his mouth and nose as he held Tsume back _'Such power...has he been holding back on us all along?'_ He looked at Kami, standing there tired _'Kami...what are you?!'_ His mind raged and Kami's head swiveled to stare at him with half-lidded eyes.

**Scar held his shoulder with wide eyes, directing him at the Fireball he just threw on The One.**

"We're done for..." Kami fell to his knees feeling like he was being squeezed to death, enraging him even further "I don't care how...we must get away" Kami was close to passing out.

_'Losing hope so quickly already...Kuro?'_

**Kami swore he heard J'onn's voice in his head as his eyes opened to see a spark of lightning flash between them and The One as they looked to see J'onn standing across from them with Bjorn...Briarios wanted to be there but had other duties to attend to concerning so illegal aliens/traitors.**

**Scar went to Bjorn's side as Kami looked at Yang, noting that their own fight will resume once The One was dead.**

"No magic for you..." Scar looked at Bjorn "you're showing me that immense strength you have and knocking him out!" He pointed at The One.

Kami stood beside Yang "Looks like we have no choice but to fight together" Yang noted as Kami acknowledged with a nod "...so it seems, but this changes nothing between us"

Yang's red stare was cold as ice and he gave Kami a dead serious glance "Of course not, once this thing is dead...you're next" he said becoming Yin.

**Suddenly a warrior with a mask of a Chimera appeared bowing on one knee to the One.**

"You called for me, master?" The person, a man said as the One got straight to the point "Bring me Kurosaki alive...shred any other who gets in your way."

"Of course...milord" he answered with a bow of his head turning to face Kami "Another Kurosaki Clan member, huh?" He pulled out his sword, sounding much older than Kami "...and here I thought I was the last"

**He charged at Kami but Yang got in his way and would've been cut in half if not for his Wind Magic forcing him back.**

The warrior quickly got back to his feet and resumed his stance before preparing his powerful Magic "Wind...only makes the flames stronger" with a snap of his finger, fireballs appeared around him, bombarding Yang with small but rapid and very powerful fire blasts, overpowering Yang and shocking Kami.

"So this guy's a member of your clan, huh?" Yang asks Kami, who just got over his shock from the man referring to him as _'another Kurosaki'_, nodding "It seems so...give me a sword"

"What?" Yang flinched "Hell no, stay your ass put before you die, pervert"

"Yang...he thinks he's the last Kurosaki just like I do..." Kami reasoned with slightly sad tone to his voice that only Yang could notice "I'll make sure we both see his face, if it's the last thing I do"

**Kami left to face the warrior with his former student as back up, while Bjorn was surprisingly a better hand-to-hand combatant than he thought as he used his new skills in sync with his Dark magic, much to Scar's excitement.**

**Bjorn got airborne quickly for someone his size as he attempted to punch The One, who was now giant-sized and swung at the airborne Bjorn but he creates a portal at the last second and appears behind The One but he caught him, after that came a war of the intellects.**

"Mind Pulse" Bjorn snapped as he began a mental tug-o-war with The Former King of Demons who he was able to hold back but neither was willing to bow to the other's power and the Ghoul Lord knew he just needed to hold him and he could easily be broken if he was careless, The One growled "Your mind is weaker than your body...why not give up...give in to my power?" He said as Bjorn glared, feeling a tad bit insulted "Who do you think you're dealing with?!" The Ghoul Lord growled "Bjorn has the strongest mind-"

But The One interrupted "yes, among your brothers and sisters, maybe but that doesn't include me as you're only now learning things that I already know!" He overpowered Bjorn and sent him back "you're but a mere man, not a God"

**Kami tries to discern the identity of The One's servant, while elsewhere, Bane was trying to figure out if he should use the key Kami gave to him, but he doesn't trust the Ghoul Lord's word entirely, as for the voice in his head...he wished that could make things easier as it won't go away when he wanted it to.**

* * *

**Yamamoto was busy cooking up a storm as all the human's bellies were filled except Nobu...Yamamoto swore the human ate like a Binge Eater Ghoul as he's eaten twice his men's fill already and was still hungry.**

"You tryin' to eat me out of house and home or somethin', human?" Yamamoto growled only to receive a glare from Uchino who growled "skipped breakfast... more please" he continued as Yamamoto went back to the kitchen, threatening to give Scar a concussion if he doesn't return soon as Bane, Tsujin and the other human were left speechless.

"Where the hell does all that food go?" Tsujin asks himself "that can't be normal"

"No one can convince me that _that_ is normal" Bane said before looking at the key Kami gave him.

_'This has to be some trap made by Kami'_ Bane thought_ 'my dad will throw a fit if he comes back and I'm gone, but...'_

_**'But what?'** _Kami's voice said to Bane as he scowled inwardly _**'you again...?'**_

_**'I am not the Kami Kurosaki you know'**_ Kami said _**'only your mind's representation of him and it won't hurt to look, would it?'**_

_'Shut up'_ Bane tried to force the voice to go away but it growled **_'this may be your mind, but I'm not going anywhere until you listen and go to that damn house...it's better that sitting here driving yourself crazy about it, am I right?'_** Bane remained silent as he continued _**'I am right, I know you know it.'**_

**Bane sighed and went into the kitchen, just standing there staring at the key until it caught Yamamoto's eye.**

"Aniki?" Yamamoto looked at Bane "don't do that, it's weird, where'd you get this?" He took the key, studying it closely.

Bane was backed against the wall, he couldn't tell him Kami gave it to him as he replied "I, uh, found it...wonder where it goes?" He studied the golden key himself but as he was about to take it, Yamamoto smacked the back of his hand hard with a spoon before grabbing his wrist and slamming it on a small table before whipping out a monstrous knife as he smiled darkly "Lie to me again and I'll take your fingers...piece by piece" he stabbed close to his finger as he noticed Bane's scent only changed when he was very angry or lying "Where did you get this, Bane?" He asked once again "I won't ask again"

"Kami gave it to me" Bane said "something he was supposed to give to my father in person, please don't cut my fingers off."

"Kurosaki-san?" He looked serious "Don't trust everything he says...he isn't here to be anyone's friend, he used you and the rest of us. Remember what he did to you"

"I know...but he said it was meant for my father" Bane said as Yamamoto said, letting him go "fine...go, but not by yourself"

"As for that father of yours, he has a lot to answer for in his master's place...that naïve baka" he said as Bane left.

**Bane decided that he now had to sneak past the humans and Tsujin as he simply walked past them to the door, but Tsujin caught him.**

"Not...another...step" Tsujin warned him as he saw the key "your mother said to stay here...what's this?" He went up and demanded the key which Bane handed over. He looked at it and recognized it...though he wasn't given an explanation as to it's purpose when he pried while working for Kami, J'onn knew of it as well but not enough to satisfy Tsujin's curiosity.

"We're burning daylight, so let's go find Kami's treasure" Tsujin said giving the key back to it's owner "try to keep up" he smiled and Bane wondered why before he took off with enough speed to almost fly if he wanted.

**Bane caught up by the time Tsujin made it to where the city met the forest.**

"You're not trying to keep up, are you?" Tsujin chuckled at the young Ghoul glaring at him as he pointed out "don't think so much about doing it and just do it...you can actually move faster than me, you just don't believe you can, so you can't"

"That's just you being mean, datte..." Bane quickly caught his breath as he watched Tsujin do the biggest jump he's ever seen into the canopy above.

"Join me, Bane" Tsujin taunted him to jump from into the tree from the ground, but as he figured, Bane still had a 'human' mindset as he still could get a few feet off the ground at time, which held back the Ghoul side of him.

"Your master, Ryuken, would be so displeased with you if he saw this" he goaded as Bane growled "What?" and he thought_ 'that's it...'_

Bane jumped into the tree, but over shoots and flew straight past Tsujin "That's it...wait, where the fuck are you off to?" He snapped as he caught up and caught Bane after his little flight.

"Your concentration sucks..." Tsujin said "but you did good"

**The two traveled to Kami's home, Bane getting better along the way. Once they made it to Kami's doorstep, the guards barred them from entering.**

"Let me through" Bane demanded as the guards looked at each other then to Bane, one replying "Get lost, no one enters the Ghoul Lord's home without permission"

_'Nē, watashi wa dono yōna jugoku kono orokana kīfitto o mitsukeru tame no kami kara no kengen o motte imasu!' _(Hey, but I have permission from Kami to find whatever the hell this stupid key fits!) they looked at the key then each other before glaring at Bane "No one enters...that is our given orders"

**Bane was shoved back and they were about to attack him when they heard a voice from up above.**

"What do you idiots think you're doing?" Briarios asked as they looked up to see the Ghoul Lord standing on the wall above them with his hands in his pockets as the men bowed "we were only following orders, sir"

No one saw Datrios appear shielding Bane with his body and a very sinister glare as he would kill the two on spot right now as Briarios jumped down, landing between the men and put his arms around their shoulders.

"I don't remember giving any order like that...keep Bane out...do you?" He asked all-too-calmly as they shook their heads "No, sir"

"I'll kill you both now..." Briarios smiled evilly "it'll teach the boy how to act like a real Ghoul and discourage the other idiots to not take advantage of him" he looked at Bane.

"Please, we have families" one said, hoping Briarios would be merciful as he snapped "Why is that any of my business?"

"We have mouths to feed" the other said, really not wanting to be eaten "think about that"

"Don't worry, they'll have their turns...I think you owe the kid an apology, for your sakes and theirs" he warned as they looked at Bane, a dark aura forming around him.

"Forgive us..." The men bowed to Bane as he slightly nodded "go...away" he growled as Tsujin tried to touch his shoulder but he smacked his hand away.

"This must be Dark Bane..." Briarios noted as Bane entered the house and returned with a golden box, which he tossed with the key to Tsujin before attacking Briarios.

**Dark-influenced Bane punched the Ghoul Lord in the jaw knocking him back as Braiarios smiled and rubbed his jaw as he got to his feet.**

"Weak..." Briarios commented as he cracked his knuckles "Good punch, but still weak"

"You're not making things any better, you know?" Tsujin said "He already wants to rip someone's head off"

"As do I" Briarios said, as Tsujin got a similar vibe from him as Bane, who charged in but Briarios was faster "too slow..." He disappeared and reappeared over Bane's weak point mid-punch and punched him in the back with the plan of burying him on that spot.

**Tsujin sent his sand at Briarios stood over Bane, slapping the sand aside.**

"You're insane, what the hell is wrong with you?!" He snapped knowing that Bane was alive but not accepting Briarios bullying the younger, weaker, far less experienced Bane as he kneeled down raising up the back of Bane's shirt and pulling off five invisible seal tags "He's fine...would you prefer I did nothing and you had to fight him at some point?" He ripped off the seals as Bane woke up, better than expected.

"What the-?" Tsujin said looking at the tags as Briarios explained "Kami must have done this as a precaution, once big mouth Bjorn revealed that we've been watching...what he failed to put in was that were watching Kami in particular, how we know about his little falling out with Hiachi"

"Should we be talking about something like this so openly?" Tsujin said in a bit of shock taking a step back but Briarios simply continued "I watched the boy once I learned of Yang's whereabouts outside the city and yesterday, noticed these friggin' tags under Bane's shirt just before he went berserk and began taking orders from Kurosaki again to kill his own family. How dare he?!" He knew well what it meant, having lost his own entire family and considered the other Ghoul Lord, Kami included to a lesser extent, his family "I'll meet up with you, get out of here" Briarios warned as Tsujin saw Chad tied up in the back, just regaining consciousness.

"What do you think you're doing?" Bane said as the Ghoul Lord walked away but stopped and glared at him over his shoulder "My friend here hasn't finished learning the heavy price of treachery just yet...I'll catch up once I'm finished having my...now, leave me to my fun" he turned slowly to stare at Chad as Tsujin grabbed Bane and started blocking his ears as he ran though he could still hear punches being thrown and Chad screaming out, even bones breaking. No one cared as it was a norm in this part of the city and eavesdropping could cause you to lose your head.

**Tsujin and Bane made it back to Yamamoto but he needed to speak with Bane first.**

"What just happened?" Bane said as Tsujin growled "stay here for a moment...I have a warning for you" he held Bane's hand "I grew up on these streets and they were bad long before Kami came here. Promise me you won't turn out like them, my brother was not a Binge Eater but we grew up on that side of the city where no one cares for you, they killed my mother and forced me to watch and would've killed us too if not for J'onn..this will remain between us for now, got that?"

"So that's how you came to work for J'onn...to repay him?" Bane asks as Tsujin nodded "he's eccentric despite how murderous he gets lately where Kami's concerned and a bit of a ero-sennin but I don't care if he thinks it's pointless for me to repay him...I owe you too, we might not be here if I chose to kill you when we met at Kami's house. I'd kill you then J'onn would kill me...much slower" He shuddered at the thought "Let's get a move on"

**The two entered the house to find Yamamoto trying to find more illegal info on Kami, while the bothersome humans weren't hungry with their Ghoulish appetites.**

"Yama-jii?" Bane called out in the seemingly empty house as Yamamoto's voice came from the back "Aniki, I'm in the back...don't you dare wake the humans"

**They went past the sleepy heads and entered a back room, where Yamamoto was fiddling through some old scrolls and manuscripts from since Kami's first arrival in the city and his first encounter with The One and he was looking for something about how the likes of Azazel and the Ghouls fit into all this and who or what the One is in the first place.**

"You'll strain your eyes, y'know" Bane said trying to read the gibberish on the manuscript over Yamamoto's shoulder "that's not Japanese...how are you reading this?"

"I know it's not Japanese or English...it isn't even a documented language..." Yamamoto answered "I'm trying to translate it right now...roughly"

**Suddenly, Yamamoto touch a text and the language it was written in changed.**

"That was easy..." Bane said as Yamamoto shot him a look that said he'd rather figure it out himself.

He began translating it "it says...the the Demon's first human experiments gave birth to the first Ghoul...an accident"

He continued as the others gasped "The Ghouls and the virus that turns humans into Ghouls were created to combat The One, omnipotent King of all Demonkind" he looked at the others as Tsujin said "...their creator"

Yamamoto nods as he read on "The One created the Demon Lords from his own power to rule over the various realms the previous Demon King left behind...before his sudden disappearance." His eyes widened "there was peace in the Netherealm but The One thought only he deserved the power he bestowed and seemed to take it back from the demons causing a war that nearly destroyed the Demon Realms. With the Demon Lords on the losing end, they began experiments on many beings and were unsuccessful until they came upon humans who they took and experimented with to create the first Ghouls, crafted in their creator's likeness to combat the One...it stops there" Yamamoto says

"So why couldn't the demons defeat the One themselves?" Bane asks curiously as Tsujin comments "maybe they couldn't, that thing was just too powerful...they must be the first Ghoul Lords" Bane gasped as he saw five different Ghoul Lords from the current ones, and one looking almost exactly like "Kami?" He asked himself out loud.

**The three looked at each other wondering who this man is and how long the Ghoul Lords have been aware of him prior to him becoming a Ghoul Lord.**

* * *

**Back with Kami, he was having so much of a fight with the Chimera masked Ghoul as bounced off each other like fireworks.**

"Huh, It's been a while since I've met another Fire Adept that could be my equal" the man said with a chuckle, shrugging off Kami's last attack "You will make almost as fine a servant as myself"

"I'll pass, I serve no one" Kami said "remove the mask, coward"

"Oh, this rusty, old thing?" He replied rubbing his chin "I want to see you come here and take it off for me...before I hand you to my master on a silver pedestal"

"Challenge accepted" Kami said, keeping him distracted as he finished literally burning the incumbent seal out of his skin.

**A/N - The Ghoul Lords, having a very temporary truce with Kami, take on The One but can they win and what does the One's servant know about the dark past of the Kurosaki Clan that Kami doesn't but should know (concerning a certain pair of Angels that paid the Clan's original village, comprised of Ghouls and Humans, a visit just before Kami was born) R&amp;R and we'll see!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 24**

**Bane moved fast through the forest to find his father and Kami, this time he was the one to leave Tsujin behind though he did his best, not to keep up but just not to lose sight of Bane.**

_'You're just chock full of surprises, aren't you, Asakura Bane'_ he thought smiling since Bane threatened Briarios...something he's sure the Ghoul Lord won't let him get away with very easily if Tsujin knew Kami's temperamental tendancies compared to J'onn's, both bad but paling in comparison to Briarios' as he was caught up with the two.

"I know you mean well and all, but don't try to get so close to him like that...Kami awoke something in him beyond either of their knowledge or control" he raised his hand facing at Bane as he closed his eyes and said in an echo-like voice "Awaken and take control..." His hand glows as he smirks expectantly.

**Meanwhile, Kami had to find a way to get the answers he wanted...was the Ghoul he was fighting a Kurosaki? He was uncertain for a fact but so far has gotten no sign that he wasn't a Kurosaki, after all, Kami's clan was scattered across the world and there was no telling how many are left, if any, as the man before is the only other one he's met and he's Japanese. Yang was also grating his last nerve since he got here.**

Kami dodged another fireball as Yang got in his way again "What the hell are you doing, baka?" Kami looked weary and very highly peeved "outta the way, I can take care of myself!" Kami smirked as he saw another fireball coming his way and smiled "then again, stay right there"

**He kicks a distracted Yin from behind into the blaze and retreats into the trees while he still can. Seeing Yin form a sphere of Wind magic around himself to protect him from harm made the bemused Kami hope it didn't last long and he got the reality check Kami intended to give him - that they weren't friends - if he lives long enough for that to happen.**

"Arigato...I shall take Bane under my wing yet with you gone" Kami said, knowing his impetuous student was neither down nor out as The One's warrior teleported behind him "You'll stop at nothing to get what you want, would you, letting him die in your place of an attack you could've easily stopped yourself?" He taunted as he chased Kami through the trees "I know you too well, cowards like you have fallen to milord because you are your own biggest weakness"

"What makes you say that?" Kami said "He's the weakling...I don't tolerate weaker men getting in my way."

Kami stopped and snarled as he looked behind him to find the warrior gone "you talk a little too much, Mr. Loyal Servant"

Kami jumped aside at the last minute from a stab "You dare insult me, Kuro...you will lose soon enough, it is your destiny" he says as he flame-port's away.

**Kami was about to follow when he though he heard something, looking behind him to see Bane, unmistakably in his wolf form charging at him as he ran.**

"KAMI!" Wolf-Bane roared as Kami's eyes widened and he was knocked forward by the wolf landing a bit away on his hands and feet as he raised his swords to defend a colossal punch from Briarios but he managed to use his own momentum to throw him aside as he went to Bane, his mind wasn't as vulnerable as Kami thought "Fight all you might...you're mine" he was about to touch him, Tsujin's sand grabbed his hand. He heated it until it turned to desert glass though and picked up a shard, safely ignoring Tsujin and making his way closer to Bane.

"Don't touch him!" Tsujin jumped at him but Kami caught him by the neck without looking then stabbed him, making the desert glass very hard and painful to remove.

"Join me or watch your friends die one by one" he said as Bane's eyes flashed very dangerously. He was not struggling to keep control, so he reverted back to human and went to Briarios, who was hit hard enough by Kami that he'd feel it for some time.

**Kami watched this, but not for long as that pestering swordsman was on him again but without his sword as they matched each other blow for blow and it was apparent that Kami was losing quickly, only to an expert's eyes.**

One final punch and something in Kami simply snapped in the most fiery display of his anger "Take that goddamn mask off, goddamn it?!" His first full-strength punch sent his opponent a full football field away from him before he was stopped by a tree, but Kami came behind him with his continual assaults on the mask...the man's real face wasn't hurt but he must be feeling it by now, as his mask still showed no sign of damage whatsoever. Kami noticed a purple aura anytime he punched it. Fortification Magic and a powerful one at that.

"What's this?" Kami muttered stopping his fist inches from the distasteful Ghoul's face "It doesn't seem to matter how much I hit you, this remarkably powerful Fortification series of spells won't budge" he touched it to see purple, orange, blue, green and red meaning that he was dealing with multiple barriers as he shook with rage, throwing the Ghoul into the air again and coming down on his face mid air with both feet, shattering the mask and revealing his face...an almost exact mirror to his own though the difference in age was obvious to anyone that he was far older than any of the current Ghoul Lords.

**With Yang, he was alive but won't be for long if he doesn't get out of this solidified Magma thanks to that pain in the ass, Kami shoving him in the attack in the first place and the Wind Magic he casted will protect him...for God knows how long...this gave time to think of why he's even defending the ungrateful monster that hurt his family so much and almost just killed him as well as the point that Yamamoto made, that it was pointless risking life and limb for someone who definitely won't be returning the favor.**

_'How could I be so foolish...so blind?'_ Yang thought, careful not to create a Category 5 Hurricane with his stir of emotion, at least, not yet _'Yamamoto was right...I must kill Kami...he is beyond saving and my master wouldn't want it any other way'_ he suddenly became enraged and it was showing as his eyes glowed and his own magic reacted violently to his emotions as he finally let go of the tears "KAMI!"

A rush of a powerful tornado burst out of where Kami had shoved Yang in the way of the Fire Magic as he swore someone screamed his name as the tornado shot into sky turning it black and Yang's eyes turned black without red pupils.

"Somebody's gotten their daily reality check, it seems" Kami remarked as Bane snapped "You monster, he was the only one, the _ONLY_ one fighting for your innocence and _THAT'S_ how you repay him?!" He came in fast with a punch to Kami's face as he stood there but a sharp gust slammed him through a building.

"You will PAY for your sins, Kurosaki!" Kami's eyes widened as Dark Yang levitated him off the ground and focused the air around his head with a wave of his hand as the air was being pulled from his lungs...that coupled with the loss of his heart and soul ensured zero percent survival.

**The One took notice of this as he created a small telekinetic shockwave, barely a margin of his power and made his way to take over Kami before Yang succeeds in ending his life.**

_'You!'_ The One moved very fast once he spotted Yang trying to kill Kami "you have trifled with my plans for the last time!"

**He would have happened indefinitely if his servant, now free from his control jumped between Yang and Kami with a strange onyx gem, a large piece of Demonite not found in the mortal realm, as he used his and Kami's hand to make a hand sign with the stone in the centre.**

**As The One entered Kami's body, a combination of magic from the two Kurosaki's made it's stay very short as he was dragged into the Demonite with a force that knocked Kami unconscious. This didn't please Yang though but he managed to pull in the reigns on his powers and fall to the ground.**

The man, revealed to be Kami's father and Japan's pre-Binge War Ghoul Lord, Ryujin Kurosaki as he hugged his son close until Bane, having been saved from death by Briarios nudged him with his good leg, the other one broken badly "Who the hell are you?"

**Ryujin, however was in no mood to have Bane use his feet on him as tears formed in his eyes.**

"Get away from my son!" He growled swinging around a kick at Bane but someone stopped the kick, J'onn, causing his eyes to widen.

"Woah, hold on a second...there were barely any surviving Ghouls during the Binge War and definitely _NO_ surviving Ghoul Lords" Briarios snarled deeply as he broke himself out of the rubble that used to be a building and pointed at Ryujin accusingly "you should be dead, so you have an ass load of explaining to do"

"Bite me, will ya?" Ryujin snapped "and watch your step and your mouth, my foot might magically end up down yer throat"

"What was that?!" He said as Ryujin gripped his neck tightly enough to silence him "I said don't make me stick my foot somewhere you'll feel it til you die, somebody care to explain what's going on here?"

"No offence, but this is all your son's fault" J'onn said as Ryujin growled "pray you have life insurance to say that...Is that you, J'onn?" He turned, barely recognizing his successor as he was still rather young the last time they met. He could never forget his always reassuring, albeit sad, smile.

* * *

**The Ghoul Lords returned to J'onn's library with Kami in tow before explaining everything. His father could easily tear his head off and they had to prevent him from doing so once everything sunk in.**

"Care to explain why my successor is a smart-assed Ero-Librarian?" Ryujin asked with a raised eyebrow as he entered the library with Scar, Yamamoto and Tsujin.

"No idea..." Tsujin said as Scar smirked "You seem to be a strict father" as he avoided the former Ghoul Lord's cold glare.

"Why haven't you removed that flame from your head yet, dumbass, it won't heal unless you do that and you wanna see how strict I _really_ am?" He was confronted by Yang replying "Your son's the one responsible for that scar...he's evil" he said with a bit of sadness "he raped my wife and son, but..."

"But, what?" Ryujin said with strained calmness as Yang continued "he's my former master, I once respected him as he raised me."

"Where is he, I'll kick his ass so bad he won't be able to heal for years" he snapped as Yang got in his way "I won't allow that!"

**A few minutes later he was outside eating pavement as Ryujin tossed him out like garbage. Kami awoke from a sleep spell to find himself in that stupid seal spell again and his powers nearly gone but he turned to his father's foot coming to his face.**

"Garbage..." He dusted his hands off walking away as Yang broke the door down "I'll fucking kill that geezer"

"Don't try burning your punishment off this time, gaki" Ryujin confronts Kami as he was doing just that before he replied "Fuck off, geezer before I kill you!"

Ryujin calmly walks over to Kami and drop kicks him in the face "Last warning, I'll end you if you talk to me like that again and I put the seal back there...it's fire resistent, stooge"

"What are we gonna do with that?" Tsujin looked at the stone The One was sealed in (for God knows how long) "and why bring it here?"

"That can be taken care of..." Bjorn said teleporting it to another dimension.

* * *

**A/N - So, the One's mysterious warrior was revealed to be Kami's father, no wonder he was so strong with Fire Magic but what happened to the rest of the Kurosaki Clan, how did they seemingly disappear and how did Kami's father end up as the One's puppet in the first place? Will The One make a return to seek revenge? This leaves room to ask if Kami was born human or not. R&amp;R and find out.**

* * *

**Somewhere within another dimension...not one made by Bjorn...the Demonite gem holding The One emerges from a portal as his single eye appeared for a moment.**

"How dare they?!" The One, all too easily, breaks free of his prison but finds the majority of his power had already been absorbed by the stone fragments...Demonic energy cannot be removed from Demonite stones, especially black one, though they are mostly naturally transparent regardless of color as he watches them fade out of this dimension, back to the mortal world.

" Interesting..." The Demon muses as he floats through a portal to another Demon Dimension "I may be too weak to return to that wretched human world for now...but no matter" he glances back, somehow able to control where the last fragment would end up as the last remnant that he was ever there dissipates "The seeds have already been planted for their world's destruction!"


	25. Chapter 25

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 25**

**Bane heard some fierce growling, so abrupt that everyone was looking for it and he thought he might get attacked...until Ryujin started rubbing his very angry stomach.**

"I'm hungry..." He said as he swung a bite at Bane who snapped "hey, watch where you're biting, baka!"

"You smell like a human for some reason, what do ya expect me to do about it?" He snapped and Bane scowled "Go find a human then..."

"I'm a very hungry Binge Eater, gaki-dono, don't be a smartass with me" he shrugged but kept his hunger-filled eye on him.

Yang clenched his fist as Ryujin's eye turned to him "Find you food elsewhere"

"Feeling lucky, punk?" He asked with a grin that was become sadistic "I'm going to skin you alive if you even think of raising a hand to me"

"Don't fight in my library!" J'onn stomped his foot hard enough that everyone thought his leg was broken "Are you willing to take your job back as Ghoul Lord, Master Kurosaki?"

"Master Kurosaki?" Yang asks as J'onn clarified "Yes, he was the Ghoul Lord before myself and his son"

"Hn" Bane groaned "I'm starting to hate where this is going..." He looked to see Ryuken leaving the group but when he saw him, he gestured for him to come with him.

"Tell me this isn't normal for old leaders to just 'pop up' out of nowhere..." Bane asked as Scar remained silent narrowing his eyes slightly "be careful...Kami's allies are still out and about" he said "I called you to ask something...you need a job if you have any intention of staying in the city, wanna be a Hunter?"

"Yes...what's a hunter?" Bane agreed without knowing what he was agreeing to "something tells me, I won't like it"

"How do you think the city gets fed, yet no human knows of the city itself...and you know what we Ghouls eat" Scar asks with no intention of clarifying their source of food as Bane shrugs "That's where my proposition comes in, if you survive the Trial, to join the Hunters, you don't need to agree right away but just think about it"

Bane nods, remembering his first time on the Binge Eaters' side of the city and knew well that Binge Eaters instinctively made better Hunters "What about...?" He looked away and Scar grabbed his shoulder as they found Ryujin narrow his eyes at Bane with a low predatory growl as he rubbed his gut "I'm in charge so you needn't worry...they even look at you wrong and I'll make a nice, fancy necklace for them...out of their knocked out teeth, I'll be your shadow if the need calls for it"

**J'onn had finished explaining what Kami had done to Ryujin, from illegally bringing Bane into the city and playing mind games for his own sick pleasure with him, Yang and others even in the city to harbouring traitors from other countries, which explained why the other Ghoul Lords were assembled in Japan.**

"This part, I think I need to tell you about privately...if that's okay" J'onn said to Ryujin, who looked at the others calmly "Can you leave us alone for a moment?"

**Tsume and the Ghouls eventually shuffled out as Kami stayed, more content on the couch he was still on since Ryujin stepped on his face earlier...something he had no qualms doing another fifty times or so.**

_'Anata wa 'shutsu' no dono bubun o rikai shimasen ka?!'_ (What part of 'get out' do you not comprehend?!) Ryujin snapped in his very noticeably different dialect from his son's as he whirled around and saw Kami making himself even more at home, testing his already short fuse "Get Out!"

**Outside, the others were ready to go their separate ways when Bane noticed the door open, Ryujin swearing and J'onn looking like he was going to scream at him as Kami is tossed out like Yang was but flipped to his feet before landing on his ass despite having to resist falling to his knees from the seal draining him at a fast rate, though he doubted this one would kill him.**

**He lunged at the door but his father was not ready to punish him yet as he almost had a boot sandwich as the door was slammed.**

Kami buried his hands in his pockets and walked past everyone, stunned at what they saw, without a word or glance but stopped when Yang and Bane grabbed the same wrist.

"Kami..." Yang said as Kami was visibly shaking but not looking at or speaking to his former student as Bane asked "What happened in there?" Kami simply pulled his arm from Yang but Bane hung on...after a fist to the face, he left as soon as he was freed.

**Kami liked other to hear his voice, meaning he wasn't the solitary type of person but right now, he didn't feel like being around anyone as he made his way to Ghoul Mountain, a large mountain where he could effectively see the whole city and be alone, no one knew of this place as it was one of the few places he and Yang spent time together when they were tired of the city life.**

**His eyes were on J'onn's library as Ryujin came out look up at the mountain straight at Kami and smiled before entering the library.**

_'Did he just...'_ Kami asked himself before scowling at him and was about to give him the finger when a small rock screamed past his left ear as his eyes widened to see Ryujin's mouth move even though he knew he wasn't hearing him 'don't even think about it' then goes back into the library.

* * *

**With Bane, he was ready to go home but his caution was too obvious.**

"I think I'll head home now." Bane said as Scar decided to accompany him, in case he was attacked by the Binge Eaters who still see him as easy prey.

**The others went back to Yamamoto's house and he knew something was wrong and bothering everyone.**

**Yang evaded Yamamoto before he could be asked what happened and was still annoyed as he went to Tsujin.**

"What happened to him?" Yamamoto asks not even glancing at Yang "and where's Bane and Scar, weren't they with you?"

"He got thrown out of the library by Ryujin-sama and insulted on top of that" Tsujin answered "that's before he nearly beat Kami to death for not obeying the order to leave and even he was thrown out and Scar took Bane to his home on the Bingies side of the city. Someone's got a serious superiority complex..." He kept his hands balled to a fist before taking a seat "Where're your kids, the humans?"

**Yamamoto ignored him and went to Yang and dragged him into another room.**

"Don't do that" he complained but Yamamoto silenced him "Hush up, stop acting like a spoiled gaki"

Tsujin sighed, worried about Bane as much as everyone's mental health as he noticed Tsume watching him "Is it normal for you to watch my every move?" He knew she was watching without seeing her and replied staring at her "Something's bothering you...it's Bane's trial but that's no all"

He was right as she said, thinking of The One and how it had once possessed Kami before being forced out and just how powerful it was "Do you think it's...dead?" She asked as he widened his eyes slightly enough that she didn't notice "The One?" He shrugged "It may be trapped in that crystal due to the power of two Kurosaki's but I'm doubtful...speaking of Kurosaki, I don't trust Ryujin any more than Kami...like father, like son" Tsume nodded but didn't know if she agreed "I just don't like how he looks at Bane like a piece of meat but pretends I don't exist"

"Must be because you're a mutant...you don't smell human, even to me" Tsujin answered "He must not have figured that out yet too, but when he does, you'd wish he hadn't."

* * *

**Back with Ryujin and J'onn, he began explaining what Kami had done and why Bane clearly is cautious of him since hearing he was Kami's father.**

"Did you make my son's hair so white and bleached looking?" Ryujin asks, as he sat on a couch across from J'onn who sweat dropped "He seems to have overused Amaterasu, I've never touched his hair in my life" he chuckled before noticing Ryujin wasn't once he heard the name of the only Fire Spell that he despised, because he created it and apparently not for what he thinks Kami has been using it to do for years "Amaterasu?"

"About Bane..." J'onn continues as Ryujin stopped him "I hope I haven't made an error in making you my successor and the brat, as much of a smart-ass he thinks he is, isn't having his body sold to older folks..."

J'onn stopped and suddenly looked at his old mentor "wait, you knew?"

"I've had enough of a whiff of him to know enough that he's been selling his body to someone older than him" he answered as J'onn bursts his bubble while choosing his words very carefully "He isn't a prostitute, Kami...has been abusing him and Miss Tsume, trying to force her to marry him." J'onn braced himself, although Ryujin was short-tempered, he wasn't an unfair fighter or stupid though fighting him wasn't his problem...his reaction and what he plans to do afterwards is as he gripped the armrest on his chair in hopes of containing his anger "He what?!" He exploded with small sparks of blue flame bursting from his body as the whole room's temperature rose without any sign stopping "So that's why he was so cautious of me...so quiet suddenly, Kami raped him and his mother, I'll neuter that fucker...that'll teach him to stay away from other people's property"

"That is only the tip of the iceberg" J'onn said "He's very power hungry and obsessed with protecting his kind by the only way he sees how...eradicating humanity altogether along with any Ghoul that gets in his way or opposes him and the boy's father, Kami's former student, he's made Bane believe that his father has been abusing him all along, even though he wasn't in the city yet thus causing a rift between the two as Yang is torn between saving his master and protecting the only other family he has."

"I see..." Ryujin said getting up to leave "Is that all, I don't want to have to do what I'm about to do twice, datte..."

J'onn shrugged "Beware, there are traitors from other countries hiding in the city" he said as Ryujin cracked his neck and leaves with "Then they're the ones who should beware."

* * *

**Once outside, Ryujin pulled out a mask, it was blank but once he put it on with a sigh, it was evident that it was the mask of the Golden Lion...with real gold before he walked to the mountain where Kami was. With Bane, Scar had accompanied him home not only for his safety but to have him ask J'onn to help him make his own mask, more so to contain that impetuously evil Dark Bane side of himself.**

"I hope you don't mind me asking this but what's the whole point of Ghouls wearing masks?" Bane asked as Scar rubbed his chin "Why'd you ask, you want one?" He said with a straight face as they walked and Bane got a good look of how gloomy his neighborhood looks even during the day as the various masks he seen until now came to mind "Well, J'onn was no match for Kami when they fought until he put on that Dragon mask and wiped the floor with him...same for that shady Arc guy wiping the floor with Kami before he unveiled his Demon mask"

Scar thought for a moment "I see your point, but that isn't how the masks fully work...they heightening the wearer's senses and magic greatly, protect them from harm depending on your own will and hides your identity from enemies...humans know you're a Ghoul by your mask though so it's a risk during hunts where you have to go undercover and pose as a human" they finally arrive at Bane's house and took a rest.

"So it's a power up and a game changer?" Bane asks as Scar replies _'Sore wa, orokana gēmude wa naku, anata o tsukare ya anata o korosu koto naku, anata jishin no chikara o hikidashimasu'_ (It isn't a game, silly and draws out your own power without tiring you out or killing you)

That made Bane stop looking out the window to Scar on the couch looking back at him with a grin _'Watashi o koroshimasu ka?'_ (Killing me?) He asks as Scar nods.

**Suddenly there was a bang at the door but neither of them moved.**

"Were you expecting any company?" Scar asks as Bane shook his head and snapped "Go away..."

"Open the fuckin' door NOW, gaki, it's Ryujin!" The visitor snapped, sounding pretty miffed as Bane opened the door to indeed see Ryujin with his mask on, he had Kami choked by a rusty chain and a bloody eye and dragged him inside, dropping him on the floor.

"Now, do you have something important to say to these two, son?" Ryujin lets go of one end of the chain so he could speak but he didn't as Ryujin pulled out his sword "Son?" He grunted as he allowed Kami to speak but he won't.

"I think I should let the young man rape you and see how you like it" he began slowly pushing it into his side as he bit his tongue to not scream out "I...apologize" but a swift kick to the ribs sent shivers up and down Scar's and Bane's spines "Humbly and for everything, or I'll rape you myself!" He snarled, making Bane's skin quivered

_'Watashi wa kenkyo ni, watashi ga yatta subete no tame ni shazai shimasu!'_ (I humbly apologize for everything I've done!) Kami said before muttering weakly "please...stop this"

"We still have places to go before your real punishment even begins, so no, you disgrace" Ryujin growled before looking at Bane "Sorry if I interrupted you, Bane-san, but I needed to rectify my clan's little embarrassment personally, I'll see you after your trial" he decided to drag Kami out of Bane's house.

**Bane and Ryuken followed him outside to see that they'd drawn a crowd of every single Binge Eater in the city, all more surprised that they'll ever be for quite some time.**

"Um..." Bane said before all eyes fell on him "wow, that's a loooot of Binge Eaters."

"Well, if it isn't the famous Bane Asakura in person" Bane looked directly above him to see the Ghoul looking down on him from the roof.

"Uh, do I know you?" He asks as Scar clarified the identity of the grey haired Ghoul dressed like a typical street gangster as he extended his hand to shake replying "No, but we all wouldn't be standing here if we haven't heard of you and what you did...to Kurosaki-san"

"What did I do exactly?" Bane was confused and cautious but also a bit pissed with Ryujin for letting every Binge Eater in the city know exactly where he lived and jumped as a large hand grabbed his shoulder, he turned to see a large Ghoul, covered in bandages and no longer able to speak as he grunted and nodded at Bane.

"What the hell literally happened to him?!" Scar gasped, as many of the large Ghoul's injuries were fresh and the other Ghoul answered for him "I'm Shunsui, by the way, and Ogin here is one of Kami's victims...he gets beaten unconscious daily if he dares go over to the other side of the city but his family lives over there and as you can see, he rarely ever gets angry and is very kind...something that can get you killed on this side of the city, as you learned" he looked at Bane "Kami tortured him so badly and destroyed his voice box so he may never speak of what happened to him, of course, he's healing but he has to learn to speak all over again"

"Bane..." Ogin gave a low growl as Shunsui clarified "see, as for me, I sell talismans, Magic Tomes, you name it as long as you can pay for it. No IOU's." He said handing Bane a pair of Advanced Tomes, Fire and Wind and revealing his merchandise in his jacket "consider that a 'welcome to the neighborhood' gift but don't touch anything else unless you got the yen upfront."

Scar put his arm in Bane's way "Go away, peddler" his eyes narrowed as Shunsui shrank back "You'll see me around...and don't always be in such a hurry to have visitors or you're as good as dead here"

"Now you tell me..." Bane muttered.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Ryujin dragged Kami into a dark alleyway in the city...Kami really hated him but was bound and gagged tightly enough that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.**

"Now, I have a question for you...how many letters are there in my name?" Ryujin asks, removing the gag from Kami's mouth and pulling his shirt off _'Roku moji, nazedesu ka?'_ (Six letters, why?) He wouldn't dare test what Ryujin would do to him if he raised his voice to him in the mood he's in.

Ryujin was delighted he asked why as he smiled evilly and raised two fingers of his gloved hand "Well, I'm your father, yet you do not know my name...let me jog your memory so you will never forget it" an unnecessarily long burst of blue and orange hot fire burst from above his fingertips like a welder's flame or a laser scalpel but four times as hot as either of them as he placed the gag back into Kami's mouth "I don't want you breaking out your teeth now as I teach you the very lesson I was forced to watch your mother endure at the hands of others before her death with your birth days away" he pinned Kami to the wet ground of the alley, the water made things worse rather than better as he wasn't sure it was water to begin with and proceeded to burn his name into his flesh numerous times, his healing slowed by the seal as no one heard his muffled screams.

**After many hours, far too many for Kami's taste a flare was seen in the sky by every Ghoul in the city signalling the beginning of the Trial to decide the fates of Bane and Kami.**

"Kami...this place is no longer your home" J'onn muttered as he planned to make Kami pay for this and more with blood if any further harm came to Bane because of him as he watched the flare burn out though his usually exuberant, energetic and sadistic personality was replaced with a calm, cold and indifferent one by the nonexistent smile and rage in his eyes. He looked detached and very very murderous.

"Bane...Kami, I'm sorry" Yang gave his silent remorseful apology as he hadn't even bothered to look up at the flare, on his way to Tsume and the others at the Library.

"Is he coming?" Yamamoto asked Tsujin who just came from upstairs nodding "He said he needed his time but he's coming."

"I can only imagine what he must be going through..." Tsume said as Yang said "he better get his ass down here before I come up there and-" he noticed J'onn suddenly appearing before him and choking him "before you come up there and what?" He threatened as Tsume grabbed his shoulder "we have no time for this, let's go."

J'onn simply dropped Yang and walked away as Yang massaged his throat "I think he blames me and himself for this for some reason..." He couldn't take his eyes of the Cajun.

**The GEC men also tagged along, Nobu determined to see the look on his tormentor's hopefully tortured face.**

* * *

**At the center of the city, Bane, escorted by Scar and Kami, literally dragged by his father, who he learned happened to be the head of the Kurosaki Clan, were left standing before a growing crowd.**

**The Ghoul Lords, except J'onn, were already there as everyone gathered around, standing and waiting for what was a first for them as much as the Ghoul Lords.**

**J'onn joined his colleagues without a glance at Bane or Kami.**

**Kami began glaring at his former master, who to even his surprise, paid no attention to him.**

**Bane then turned to Kami with a few glares of his own, most of the burns he endured were hidden by his shirt but Bane managed to barely notice a letter N at the nape of his neck and tried to move Kami's shirt to see more.**

Kami looked at him, however and moved away enough that couldn't reach it "Don't touch me..." The grown man was shaking like a leaf, still in obvious pain but wasn't daring anyone to test his well-known aggressive nature.

**There were a few faces in the crown Kami couldn't see as well, Azazel, wearing a hood both from the searing sunlight and to be among the Ghouls without them noticing.**

**Ryuken was there with Yang, Tsujin, Yamamoto, Tsume and the Humans wearing special hoods that made their scents similar to the Ghouls around them. A larger crowd of Ghouls came, some Ryuken could notice and were separated from the one's already there, the trial has even caught the Binge Eaters' attention as, although Kami himself was a Binge Eater, they were treated the worse by Kami's rule as Ghoul Lord out of resentment why their side of the city looked like ruins with barely any homes worth living in. They'd benefit the most with Kami gone though they preferred to kill him for what he's done to them, hoping J'onn wouldn't make the same mistake as his student before him.**

**The traitors were worse off than Kami, in chains, except Chad who Briarios managed to_ 'persuade' _that if he was to remain in Japan as he wanted, he'd have to become friends with Bane and pray they don't meet like this ever again as he stood in the crowd close to where Yang and co. were and couldn't look away from the Mexican Ghoul Lord's eyes as Ghouls around him all either wanted the two to suffer of to be set free.**

"That is enough, we all know why we're here" Tsu Chen said preferring a little quiet for a change.

"Why are those Binge Eaters over here?" A man dared to ask as Ryujin replied "They are here because they need to be, or would you prefer we go over to their side of the playing field?" That silenced the majority as many of the Binge Eaters smiled at it.

"We're wasting time, let's be done with this." J'onn grunted to his colleagues as Bartalos nodded in agreement but was silent otherwise.

"Fine...let's begin" Bjorn said sensing everyone was tired of waiting.

Chad raised his hand "I'd like a request first...what will happen to them?" He pointed at his former fellow traitors as Bartalos replied "They will be incarcerated for their crimes in the Crypt...would you like to join them?" His steely eyes looked at the Mexican who cringed slightly at the thought, having been there before "No, I only wanted to know..."

"We've come to a decision..." Ryujin said as J'onn questioned his master "we have?"

"We will not decide Lord Kurosaki's fate, for the first time...Bane Asakura will, he is as much a victim and wouldn't even be a Ghoul if not for Kami" Briarios said causing everyone's jaws to drop.

"He is slowly becoming my least favorite person here..." Yang growled as Tsume stopped him "I'm warning you, if you go up there I'll make you live to regret it" she warned before noticing Chad looking at her and smirking from the corner of his eye.

"She's right, baka" Tsujin added "maybe this is for the best, after all Bane is a victim as much as any of us"

"I'll clock your ass if you go up there" Scar warned "let it play out" as Yang gave up "Fine"

"I will hold nothing against you decision, Bane" J'onn gave some helpful advice as the tension rose for Asakura.

"Banish him as intended, then" Bane said "make sure that no ghoul trusts him again...so he'd have no further potential allies."

**The entire city gasped at what he said as Kami's head dropped in shame.**

"So, that's it for the trial?" Bane asks as Briarios smirks "yes, but there still lies the question of your punishment which we will decide."

Bane paled at that as Kami was allowed to leave but before he left, he turned to smile at Bane "Even if I am banished, at least I am not in your shoes" he chuckled as he left "We will meet again, Asakura...never forget that."

* * *

**Kami was gone now as J'onn secretly cast a spell on him to keep track of wherever he may go, returning to his former home to get a few important thing then leaving the city on foot.**

Once outside the city, away from prying eyes, Kami was still smiling and inwardly jumping with joy as he was already a distance away from the city in seconds "Enjoy my throne, J'onn Luc...I wished I could stay to see Bane's fate" he was still smiling, why?

**Well, Kami was sick of the lack of freedom he got from being a Ghoul Lord...he considered himself free now but if they thought he was through with them, they were very sadly mistaken.**

"Foolish Ghoul Lords, sure no Ghoul may trust me again even if they don't know me but there are still my other prey and your enemies...humans, mutants... are a different story." He felt the seal finally fade away

* * *

**Back in the city, Bane's fate has been decided.**

"As for you, Asakura..." Bjorn said "You are to face us in a fight...defeat us and you will remain to live here but lose and...well, might as well join Kurosaki."

"Whew, I thought I was gonna die" Bane said before he realized what he was told "Wait, what?!"

"Tomorrow...you decide your own fate" Briarios said as he looked at Yang in particular "no one will intervene."

"Then we feast" Bjorn said happily.

**Bane was freed and everyone eventually left as Bane returned to J'onn's Library.**

"So, have you made your decision yet?" Scar asked as Bane nodded "Yes, I'll join the Hunters" as they shook hands.

He noticed Chad was there and watching him "What's he doing here?"

"Reading, señor" he said raising the book he was reading and pointing at the ten other books on the desk beside him "Is there another reason one comes to the _Biblioteca_? (Library)"

He went over to Bane "I've wanted to meet the famous Bane Asakura since I got here too, Chad." He introduced shaking Bane's hand.

"You need help learning how to read those?" Tsume added as he glared at her with a raised eyebrow "leave me in peace if you want this _Biblioteca_ to remain standing, I still haven't paid you back for trapping me in those shadows" he went back to reading.

"I have no idea what I'm going to do" Bane said as J'onn advised "give your best and nothing less, I won't forgive you if you give us a half-assed fight not worth our time"

**Yang opened the chest Bane got from Kami's house and opened it.**

**Inside was the Advanced Fire tome that Kami learned Amaterasu from as the fire kanji glowed with life and letter rested on it for Yang to pass on the teachings of his master.**

* * *

**A/N - Kami is now banished from the city and stripped of his Ghoul Lord rank but now Bane has been challenged by the Ghoul Lords, how will he win with the odds against him?**

* * *

**Kami was outside the city when he noticed Rin was still alive and following him.**

"Rin...return to the city and watch over Bane for me" he said as Rin wanted to refuse and take him back as well as Kami glared and pushed him roughly "Don't follow me, you useless trash heap or I'll kill you" he brought a flame close to Rin's face as he was clearly very afraid of fire, despite being a Ghoul and quickly ran off, back to the city to remain with Bane.


	26. Chapter 26

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 26**

**The Demonite fragments that returned when The One was sent into another dimension are full to capacity with his power, turning into the rare Black Demonite once back on Earth and whoever touches it is overwhelmed by the power they absorb as they rain down all over the world with different colors and variations of Demonite. It's like ISO-8's demonic cousin, equally as unpredictable and slightly less rare but far more dangerous.**

**Yamamoto was in the Library seeking as many books as he could about The One, Bane decided to help him partially out of interest as they'd found a lot of books on the mysterious entity known as 'The One' but nothing in detail which Hatake needed.**

"You think Kami's dead?" Bane asked as Yamamoto said "No...I'm fairly certain he's survived worse things, like his run in with Ryujin-sama before the trial even began...I've never met a Ghoul angrier than Kami other than him though."

Chad rolled his eyes behind his book "You have not been around much have you, kid?" He looked at Bane "I'd like to see you last two seconds in the Crypt."

"I saw your reaction when those Ghouls were to be sent to this 'Crypt', what's it like?" Bane asks curiously as Chad pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

"Idiot...come with me when I'm going over there and you'll see for yourself that even you're not too young to go there" was all Chad had to say.

**Tsujin heard a strange sound and went outside, opening the door he saw what looked like it was raining (demonite) gems.**

"Um, I think everyone should see this" he went outside, making sure none of the gems fell in his mouth, nose or clothes as even other thoroughly confused Ghouls in the city came out to see the sky raining down in a variety of reds, greens, blues, whites and yellows with specks of the rarest black and onyx ones. It also seems to be raining down all over the planet as well, in sizes from smaller than pebbles to bigger chunks, the size of hail.

"Wow...what the heck is this stuff?" Bane asks as Scar clarified, pulling Tsujin out of the strange shower "Demonite...an otherworldly stone that possesses a variety of powers, but despite not originating in this world it is one of the many things that it's rare for a human to find...only Ghouls are able to see a certain aura produced by the stones that they can find it. If those Black ones fall onto your skin, it'll be absorbed into your body...the symptoms vary from being flu-like and leaving you in a coma, death or...transmutation"

"Transmutation...what's that?" Bane asks as Yamamoto responds "It forces the body to turn into a demonic version of transformation through something similar to Alchemy though it is the biggest taboo among Alchemists, very painful and to date, irreversible, and you go on a rampage, killing anything you get your hands on...you become a mindless creature, more Demon than Ghoul but if you manage not to get killed, you will die eventually. I guess it has something to do with the human belief that we are the middle point between them and demons, I've yet to find something that tells me otherwise though"

* * *

**Elsewhere, Kami was very far from the city of the Ghouls and in one of Japan's biggest cities, Tokyo. He was roaming the streets but the fierceness of his stomach made him smile as he was free to do and kill as he pleased now that he wasn't a Ghoul Lord and could try his taste buds on any mutant that happens to find him.**

_'Go back...make amends for the things you've done'_ the voice of Bane urged in Kami's mind was beginning to make him sick despite his ignorance of it as he managed to silence it a bit due to his own powerful mind as he commented "Not gonna happen...now, silence" he said, suppressing the voice as he glanced around.

He could easily prey on any human here, but avoided them as long as they avoided him "Now, where are you?" He growled as he saw a group of young teens and spied on them for anything they may do that humans can't, but only mutants can...anything.

"What do we have here?" Kami looks up from his hood to see some men, clearly humans, beating a man on the ground, calling him a freak and whatnot.

Kami watched and noticed why, the man looked almost like a human sized lizard with yellow reptilian eyes, but Kami corrected himself when he started breathing fire, setting one of his assailant's shirt on fire "a dragon...not bad" he decides to intervene after the beating the man took, tackling two of the three men and throwing them aside.

"Who's the dead man-?" The man said before noticing Kami standing right in front of the man glaring at them under his hood.

"What do you think you're doing?" One of the men said to Kami "he deserves everything he gets!"

"Oh, really...how about you three buttheads run along" Kami smiles sadistically enough to make them shiver "I'm not in the mood for you just yet" his smile sent shivers up and down their spines

**The one Kami assumes is the leader, who was burned earlier by the mutant, attacks Kami but he simply rekindles the flame on his burnt shirt he thought he put out and made him beg before putting it out, after all he did still wanted them alive right now, for now. The other two rushed in, one wielding a katana.**

"Now what are you planning to do with that?" Kami asks as the clearly dumb thug dashes at him with his very, poor skill with the weapon growls "I'll mince your ass, fool" the man dashed at Kami whose hands were in his pockets the whole time as he gestures with one finger for them to bring their worst.

"I think I'll take that sword then" Kami said as the two men rushed at him and the third was in total shock "such a fine weapon isn't meant for the hands of amateurs."

**The man, after Kami dodges his blows, manages to stick the sword right through his chest as he fell to the ground dead, as far as they knew.**

The man spits on Kami's body as they leave "Let's get out of here" the man said glaring at the mutant "we'll deal with him soon enough" and they walked off.

"Insulting me is quite a feat, human, I was planning to make your deaths swift but now I'd rather do it slow and painfully" Kami got into a sitting position, the sword still in his chest as the mutant looked terrified "spitting on people, really?" He asked with restrained anger as they turned to see Kami pulling the sword from his chest slowly "bad enough that I have your sword in my chest, you had to insult me too, didn't your mother ever teach you not to disrespect your better...time to teach you some respect before this is over"

**Before they knew it, Kami threw the sword at their feet but as he was about to take it up, he rushes into him with a headbutt as the falls unconscious from the Ghoul's much harder skull crashing into his own as the other two decided to run, but Kami got ahead of them, elbowing on the stomach and breaking the other's nose with one punch.**

"Now you may go..." Kami said as the two hurried to grab their friend and leave as Kami sheathed the sword, but noticing his meal trying to escape he threw the sheathed weapon at his head and knocked him out "I don't remember telling you that you could go anywhere"

**He took the mutant and went to an abandoned building, wanting to enjoy his meal in peace but waited and watched as he woke up.**

_'Koko wa doko?'_ (Where am I?) The man asked and was startled to hear Kami, who was unseen by the shadows of the dark, old building until now replied _'Anata ga hōki sa reta dakemono ni iru, shikashi, anata was koko ni anzenda to iu kangae o eru koto wa arimasen'_ (You're in an abandoned building, but don't get the idea that you're safe here)

Kami took a step forward as the man cringed but was close to a door if he was thinking of running from the suddenly hungry Ghoul, who looked at his bag in the corner of the room

As Kami picked it up, his stomach started sounding like a wild lion, demanding substainance as the man said, voice full of fear "You can have it if you want, even my money" he tossed out several hundred yen "Can I just go now?!"

Kami looked out what used to be a window as he spoke calmly but quickly gave him a pissed glare tossing the food back at him "You can't eat that shit, then...allergies" he gave the excuse as there was many ingredients in the dish that even regular people could be allergic to but all of which if a Ghoul dared to eat too much, was life threatening.

**As the man took the dish, now shaking uncontrollably much to Kurosaki's amusement by his hidden smirk, Kami grabbed his arm and took a deep bite out of it as the man fell over screaming, thinking he was better off with those bullies who Kami also plans to find and eat.**

"What are you doing?!" The man screamed as Kami smiled widely, mutants may become his favorite prey yet...quickly getting enraged from a mere nibble compared to what Kami is really planning for him as he walked over but stopped as the mutant tried to scorch him in a mixture of fear and rage, but only accomplished setting the old building ablaze "I'm allergic to your food, but not you" Kurosaki growled, his eyes brightened by the darkness as heis voice became scarier to the mutant.

**Kami walked through his flames and grabbed him, throwing him into a still very sturdy wall then jumped at him and pinned him by the neck as he the man was going from afraid to terrified in record time.**

_'Watashi wa ryōhō no watasitachi no tame kore o o tanoshimi itadakemasu'_ (I'll enjoy this for us both) he said as he continued and finished his meal in mere minutes. _'Being banished has it's benefits after all, I can only imagine the look on J'onn's face to see that he's the reason I still live!'_ He thought with malice in his eyes as he shot down the street running at top human speed to find more _'More, must find more of those delicious mutants!'_ He thought, his last meal only making him that much hungrier

* * *

**Kami left the building to burn as he cleaned any blood or organs from his person and walked away like the building wasn't on fire, meanwhile, back in the city, Chad decides to take Bane with him to the Crypt to see just what fate he just narrowly escaped. Bane was unnerved before even entering the large prison facility that Chad himself was in at about Bane's age.**

"Looks like you're ready to go..." Bane said as he saw Chad putting his shoes on but the large Binge Eater didn't see the reason why he was smiling about visiting one of the deadliest prisons on Earth by both human and Ghoul standards as he nodded silently and walked outside "If you're ready, let's go" as Bane looked at him "You're not much of a talker, are you?"

Chad shot him a look "No, don't slow me down" he took off through the city as Bane managed to keep up but not for long and almost lost him many times.

"Do you have to move that fast?!" he eventually lost Chad again half-way to the Crypt's entrance but not his scent as he sniffed around and found him waiting at the entrance to a very dark part of the forest once they made it through the Binge Eaters' side of the city.

**Above the trees in the distance, Bane could see the dreaded tower reaching the heavens and gulped, glad that he wasn't a prisoner here but wondered why it was such a very bad place for a Ghoul.**

_'So this is the Crypt...I'm not even there yet, so why am I beginning to think it was a bad idea coming here?'_ Bane thought as Chad broke him out of his thoughts "We're walking from here...there are worse things than your average hungry Binge Eater in the woods surrounding the prison" Bane nodded as he looked at him "you seem disappointed...why?"

"I just feel like we're being watched or followed by someone or something" Bane glanced behind him to see the Binge Eaters that were following them stopped a distance away as Chad, with caution, walked up to the door and simply placed his palm flat against the door, which had an overly complex series of locks and seals that were both visible and invisible "The Binge Eaters aren't my problem, something that leaves this prison without anyone knowing is."

A space opened in the door as a pair of bloodshot dark green eyes stared at them "state your business here..." The male voice said deeply and slow enough that they could understand

"Our business is none of yours" Chad growls "we are here to take a look around"

The man's eye ventured to Bane, cold indifference in them but shot up to glare at Chad once he spoke "Look around...?"

"Does this look like a fucking amusement park to you, baka-yaro?!" The man snapped "Get the fuck away from here before I send Shin out there to do it for ya!" He slammed the blind shut.

Bane and Chad looked at each other as this time, Bane touched the door as the eyes came back, but were black with pupils of unknown color flashing like static from an old TV, though he wasn't any kinder "What?" He looked at Bane.

"Taking any prisoners?" Bane asked as the eyes narrowed on him with no good intentions in them "Always...but you're no longer pardoned, Chad and we don't want the Ghoul Lord paying us or our...prisoners any visits over your young friend here" He knew Chad all too well.

"Didn't you hear that Kami was banished?" Bane asks as the eyes widened at him with the unexpected reply "I know...I was there as a representative for the prison, ah, you'll make a fine addition here since I no longer have a chance to make Kami suffer for his torture of Shin-san"

"Watch it, gaki" the large man who opened the door, Shin said "the prisoners have been seeing something even larger than me roaming the prison at night."

"A ghost?" Chad asks as Bane groaned "So this is a haunted asylum, too"

"Do not worry about Shin, he's rarely ever been outside the prison" Yakuzo says

"Talk for yourself...Warden" Shin shot back "We should be looking around for that intruder right now, not playing around with a pardoned traitor and a dumb brat" Shin walked off but as Bane took another step, Shin turned and looked at him but a scream sounded out through the prison chambers, the intruder was hunting here apparently and Chad knew who it was who screamed.

"How does it get into the cells designed to prevent any unauthorized entry or exit?!" Yakuzo lit a cigarette in an angry and not the slightest bit curious mood...he would murder the unlucky fucker.

"He's in the Maximum Security area" Shin noted "a recently filled group of cells"

The four made their way through the prison's gnarly tour, Bane figured someone like Kami would feel at home in this place full of creatures known as 'Torturers of the Wicked', who wore black clothes, resistant to stains of blood that may get on them and weilded Jason Voorhees type of butcher knives or other much worse weapons occasionally, used to make the lives of prisoners hell as their masks were blank, opaque and usually white, as they show no care fore their victims' horror as Bane passed one of them stabbing an inmate and slowed down as he stops and moves so suddenly to look at Bane that he jumped before dropping the inmate, who was still alive and whispering "Run...kid, it thinks you're...an escapee" before falling unconscious

**Bane's eyes widened as just as he was about to do so, the 'TotW' threw the knife like a kunai, slashing Bane's cheek as it made the only sound it could, a deranged and haunting laugh as Bane was off like a bolt with the torturer on his tail dressed like scawny but amazingly strong butchers as they all were and he knew he wasn't going to get away as it appeared closer to him and almost took his head off. It wielded a variety of weapons as Bane would soon learn.**

**Chad turns to talk to Bane to find him gone and narrowed his eyes, prompting the other two Ghouls to stop.**

"Bane?" Chad noticed he was gone and was evidently worried as he knew the inmates were the least dangerous denizens here "Where'd he go?" He could almost hear Tsume losing whatever semblance she has left of a mind upon finding out of this.

"Told you we don't do tours..." Shin warned, his blindness heightening his other already heightened senses as he sniffs the air "he hasn't left the facility yet, though so let's find him before he releases an inmate or pisses something else off...something worse"

**They went back the way they came and was surprised not that he was found quickly, but that a Torturer of the Wicked was after him, it's head twitching as it dashed after Asakura, instead of it's usual large knife, it now weilded a large sword known as the Kubikiribōchō, a large sword that was one of the prison's torture instruments that doubles as an executioner as it had it's own lust for blood, which it uses to repair itself if ever broken and it usually was intentionally, far more than the Ghouls it was used by or on...Kami even made several attempts to have it stolen but was never successful.**

"Hey, stop right there" Yakuzo quickly put his arm between them, as they could never defy the two Ghouls "He is not a prisoner" as he thought _'...yet, only then will you have your way with him'_

**The TotW stopped and looked at Yakuzo as it lowered it's sword before leaving an opening another cell, a woman shrieking inside as it laughed, it thought killing was not only fun but funny and was very imprecise about how it did it. It left the cell and looked at Bane again, it's black eyes boring into him as he dashed past it's master and slashes Bane across the chest, revealing that the blade was laced with an acidic substance that burned Ghouls bodies.**

**It raised it's sword, dancing as if cheering for it's new kill as Bane passed out from the toxin which Chad needed to remove if he had any chance of living but the creature slashed at anyone who got close to it or Bane.**

"I said stop!" Yakuzo rushed the psychotic, sword wielding creature fearlessly but it looked at him and narrowly missed cutting him in two before kicking him hard in the face.

**It twirled it's sword before coming down with a stab to the face but it collided with something...else. Rin was the mysterious one killing inmates in the prison, but only because it would draw out Bane's friends or better, Bane himself. It seems his humanity isn't as far gone as everyone thought and his more powerful healing factor made him immune to the toxin on the sword and almost any other toxin.**

"What the hell are these creatures anyway?" Chad snapped, knowing that this prison was based near every Ghoul City in the world but never understood what made them so much more sadistic than the inmates as Shin supplied the information he'd personally done some digging to find "Word is, they're failed experiments of some kind..."

"Failed experiments...what is it with you people and your crazy experiments?!" It was Bane's turn to snap as Shin continued "Not by us...you know how they say Ghouls are basically the middle point between humans an demons, right?" He decides to tend to getting the toxin out of Bane by controlling his blood and dragging it out without him bleeding out.

"Yeah" Bane answered as the other two nodded

"Well, it seemed that the demons have been experimenting for a while before their first human slaves turned specimens, the creature before you is the first of the failed experiments made of dark emotions and pure bloodlust but neither human nor Ghoul" he finished as Rin surprisingly said "it could also be a unstable cross between , though that is only my speculation" causing the four to look at him as he got closer to Torturer of The Wicked "They're just like me" he raised his hand as the creature, though looking a bit confused at first, mirrored him and raised a hand to touch his, the other still firmly gripping the giant blade "It's laugh is a form of communication, not always sadistic joy but other emotions, but sadness like mine" his human side was coming out more and more without anyone around, namely Kami, to surpress it as he looked at Bane, his eyes no longer cold, but sad.

**Chad was the one with the bloodlust as he saw the cells he was seeking, holding his former allies, though he never really considered them allies to begin with and only tolerated them.**

"Well, look what I found..." He said as he reached through the unbreakable cell bars at Xing who remained out of his reach as he licked his lips.

"Kami should burn you on a stake for your betrayal" Xing snarled as she saw Bane who looked less than amused "Kami was desperate enough that he'd turn a child into a traitor...one younger than I am, at that"

"What did you say, you snot-nosed punk?!" She rushed in to punch Bane but Rin blocked it as he held her long enough for Chad to sink his teeth deeply into her arm as she shrieked and pulled back and out of Chad's mouth.

**Rin scowled at her as Shin found what was wrong with the TotW, he found a control seal inscribed on the back of it's neck, meaning someone was controlling it and sent it after Bane, they could get rid of it, but seal removal is very hard depending of if it was as powerful as this one.**

"Who do you think did this?" Shin touched the seal to notice that it wasn't done the traditional way, more like it was burned into the flesh as Yakuzo thought for a moment, the person that came to mind making him scowl in anger "I think I know exactly who did this...none other than Kami, that asshole"

**Bane decided he'd had enough of this prison and left. As he made it outside, a Ghoul corrupted by Black Demonite came his way mutated to a monstrous size as it charged at him mindlessly.**

* * *

**Suddenly, the creature met with a foot to the face as someone tossed Bane out of the way, a man dressed finely, though a bit battle worn in a white with gold trimmed jacket with a large cross on the back, black boots and white, loose pants as he wielded a Masamune which he pulled out as he used his other hand's pinky finger to clear his ear canal and bit down on his cigarette, the only thing keeping him from losing what's left of his mind.**

**He was an Arch-Angel higher in rank to Arc and was sent, by his own conviction, to hunt the troublesome one-winged Angel down and take him home, preferably with excessive force. He had quite a few names, but his real name and the one he prefers to go by is Priest, though he will likely kill anyone who gets in his way, he would rather die and think he's testing others on weather they're powerful or worthy enough to take his life. He was also deaf but able to speak barely and is very capable of reading lips, far more than a deaf person should be.**

"Are you...powerful enough...to kill me, unsaintly one?" He walked over to Bane slowly as he stared at him with his sword pointed at him and a maddened smirk as he signed with one hand _[give my condolences to the father on the other side]_

**Bane didn't know what he was saying, not knowing sign language in any language until he caught the sword with both hands as it came closer to impailing him through the throat. It touched his chest when the Ghoul Lords arrived, J'onn tackling the man as Briarios was ready to break both his arms at the shoulder and elbow.**

Suddenly, a portal opens, J'onn literally flying out and tackling the bigger man away from Bane "What the hell do you think you're doing, huh?!" J'onn proceeds in the idea of Briarios beating the man to a bleeding pulp of stupidity.

Priest reached for his sword but before he could get it, Briarios appeared and kicked it away "Don't even think about it..."

Priest blinked as he made eye contact with J'onn, but avoided Briarios' cold eyes and signed _[do not break my arms...I am deaf, I need them to communicate, among other things]_ he signed as Briarios grabbed his arm ready to break both of them, but Bjorn understood sign language and elbowed him in the eyes as Briarios roared in anger "Ow, are you trying to fucking blind me or something, hermano?!"

"Let him go...he's deaf" Bjorn snapped as Briarios snapped "say that next time instead of hitting me in the eyes, though that doesn't explain his being here or attacking Bane" he looked at Bane with one of his cold glares.

"Why do you even know sign language?" J'onn was confused even though he initially could care less as he wanted to kill something at the moment "deaf or not, he can also speak..." He got off Priest.

"He's also devilishly handsome" Tsu Chen said as Priest glared at her "Don't push luck" he said as his sleepy looking eyes were cold, reminiscent of a very angry Ghoul but calm before he raised his hands "Won't harm a thing...but one one-winged Angel" He said with a crooked smile as he was allowed to stand as he sword returned to him

Bane looked at him, not noticing anything that would make him an angel, not even wing "A wingless, flightless angel?" Priest pointed at his shadow, which had a total of six small wings as he scowled "stupid disguise...I have all my wings"

He raised his sword over his head with a darker scowl as Arc's scyth was blocked "Why are you here?!" He demanded.

_[To take you back to the father...dead or alive]_ Priest signed and Arc seemed to understand everything except why _[preferably, dead...I'd like that relic back along with every shredded soul in it, I will have it once you're dead]_ he pointed at the scyth, which held the souls of Angels that Arc killed during his last run in with the maniacally skilled swordsman, Priest.

"It seems like the time for us to part ways..." Arc says as Priest looked at him, clearly not ready to let him get far without some new scars "You chopped my wing off, isn't that enough for you?!" Priest simply shook his head as he stuck his tongue at him childishly, a bad habit of his as he slammed his sword on the ground creating a shockwave but Arc was fast and escaped to the skies.

**Priest stood still for a moment, glancing around, his sense of smell was so acute that it also worked as a motion sensor, same for his eyes as he spun around behind him and tossed his sword into the sky, nicking Arc's cheek but appeared being him and slammed his sword down on the back of his head, before he even realized it happened.**

**Arc had to leave the city _NOW_ or like yesterday, if he had any chance of living as the Angelic warrior, an elite and equally, if not far more ruthless veteran from the Angel/Demon War was coming at him with a killing blow before his body disappeared, leaving Priest more pissed than his emotions let on. Ryujin came at him with a katana but the swordmaster was baffled as Priest didn't even look as he stopped the sword dead with two fingers before swinging his own but missing, thanks to him jumping away.**

"Now I remember you..." J'onn said remembering him after Kami almost died during his first encounter with The One, apparently he didn't stay long after the Demon was gone "Where did you obtain that?" He pointed at a lightning bolt shaped necklace he wore made of Black Demonite, though his body made it impossible for it to be absorbed or harmful to him.

_[I made it the day after our last meeting...The One, as you know him, is the reason that these stones cross to this world whenever he leaves here or stays here for an extended period]_ he signed his explanation _[Surely you have figured out that as it seems he may have lost his warrior, but attempted to corrupt me. The stone prevented it and he escaped before I could flay him, I guess this must be his, now former, warrior]_ he looked at Ryujin unimpressed.

"You know this man?" Bjorn looks at J'onn then to Priest with distrust, something Priest has grown to ignore but nodded as J'onn said "Yes...he is of no threat as long as you are of no threat to him"

"Well, I don't trust him any more than that other Angel" a voice said as Yang appeared with Tsume, Yamamoto, Scar and Tsujin from a cloak of sand made by Tsujin.

"I'll keep an eye on him to make sure he is gone" Tsujin said as he put one hand over one eye and raised his other palm as sand formed into a floating eyeball, which then flew off to find Arc.

* * *

**Elsewhere in the city, Bartalos was on the roof of a building not far from the entrance of the city, when Tsujin's Sand Eye appeared following Jack Arc, who was indeed leaving the city.**

_'Where's he off to, I wonder?'_ Bartalos thought swatting the annoying eye aside as it proceeded to return to Tsujin_ 'I wouldn't worry...after all, I don't need foresight to know that we'll cross paths again and I'll repay you for you role in this mess like Kami'_ he scowled deeply as he moved through the city's rooftops, Arc looking back but not seeing him.

**Bartalos made it back to where the others were as the Ghoul Lords' fight with Bane was at hand.**

"The Angel's gone, so get this thing away from me" Bartalos warned as Tsujin grinned, making the eye get much closer to him and he grabbed it and was crushing it "...don't push me, pretty boy"

"Baka...don't do that!" Tsujin snapped as sand came from Bartalos' hand and returned to Tsujin who removed his hand from his eye "What crawled up your ass all of a sudden?"

Bartalos ignored him as he turned to glare at J'onn and Bjorn as Braiarios took the words right from the Italian's mouth "We're starting this thing tomorrow at noon, Bjorn so stop dragging your goddamn feet and J'onn, I know what the boy means to you and all, but I suggest you either participate or stay out of the way, or so help me I'll-"

"I will be participating" J'onn said, that dangerous aura of his spiking and Bane knew well enough what he was capable of when angered but not Briarios and he wishes he never finds out.

* * *

**Later that night, Bane was on his way home when he noticed more and more Ghouls were appearing on the Binge Eaters' side of the city of Ghouls, which he learned was **_**'Yōso no Toshi'**_** (City of Elements), the original name of the city when it was established or **_**'Hikatokage no erementaru-shi'**_** (Elemental City of Light and Shadow) given sometime between Ryujin becoming Ghoul Lord and his disappearance and the arrival of Yang and Kami, who J'onn didn't know right away was Ryujin's son but the other Ghoul Lords did and hid it from him, attributing to his currently foul mood since his former student's absence and due to the Ghouls there not knowing one particular element of magic. He'd gone to the back of his house where he could see the moon and meditate, little did he know a Ghoul was already expecting him as a man walked out to see him, his step as silent as a mouse as he came upon Bane.**

"Whoever is there, get out" Bane warned as a German Ghoul stepped out "I was warned about you being impetuous, but Lord Bjorn sent me to make sure you're on time and I will defend myself if you try to get rid of me" he smirked "I am Ronin, may I join you?"

Bane was apprehensive of the white haired, tattooed Ghoul before him as he remarked "I know of your lack of trust for other, I assure you I am heavily armed but of no danger to you"

"They said I'm too trusting, but okay" Bane said as Ronin joined him remarking with his, sometimes brutal, honesty "you are...you just gave me permission to have my way with you if I so wished, but don't worry...I'm very easy-going and harming you in any way is the least of my interests, you don't seem to get it that you're in a world that you will have to kill if you want to see tomorrow and that's being naïve at it's finest" Ronin said looking at him from the corner of his cold grey eyes "I can't blame you for not relaxing in my presence...you can't trust anyone here these days" he turned his gaze to the stars.

_Was für eine schöne Nacht..._ (What a beautiful night...) Ronin says as he gazes at the stars and occasionally at Bane meditating beside him.

Bane suddenly got an idea as he grabbed the Tomes he had and grabbed Ronin by the wrist, taking the older Ghoul into his small backyard "What are you up to?" Ronin asks as Bane noticed he was also a swordsman by the massive sword on his back "They didn't say anything against you training with me, did they?"

"I guess not..." Ronin said, eager to see what the younger Ghoul was capable of "Let's see what you're made of" he whipped out his heavy sword, even though he had no problem with the thick blade's weight as he pulled it out and rested it on his shoulder.

"Don't come at me without the intent to kill" Ronin warned "...or you'll be sorry"

* * *

**A/N - Kami has finally been freed from being a Ghoul Lord and is ready to raise all hell, but how long will it last and Bane is getting prepared to face the other Ghoul Lords by facing Ronin first, despite only knowing what J'onn is more or less capable of but can he handle J'onn's currently foul mood along with the other Ghoul Lords and why is he under supervision by the Ghoul Lords and Rin...read the next chapter and find out! R&amp;R**


	27. Chapter 27

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 27**

**I plan to show how the inmates even survive in the Crypt and that some of them are far more dangerous than most free Ghouls, even Ghoul Lords.**

**Kami decides to pay the men that attacked him and the mutant he killed to retrieve another sword in their possession as well as getting some well earned payback. The very thought of J'onn was pissing him off, not making things any safer for anyone he may choose to target next other than those who messed with him first.**

Kami makes his way through the streets, his anger very visible about his banishment and he could feel it in the back of his skull, that Bane Asakura was still very much alive...he saw too much of his old self in Bane which made his hatred for the young Ghoul burn even more.

Kami stopped walking and sniffed the air "they're close...and I'm still hungry" he was literally staggering, as one human or mutant rarely ever satisfied his lust for blood or his hunger as he tugged his aching stomach before taking off through the city like a rocket as he continued to the rooftops _'just a little further...' _He thought as he stopped on a roof where he could hear the men inside before he jumped down and pounded on the door after casting an illusion spell, so they wouldn't see or feel him enter once the door was opened, which it was after Kami knocked on it.

_'Donata' _(Who is it?) the other man inside said as the man at the door peered around to find no one as he replied _'Dare mo' _(Nobody) as he closed the door and went back to watching television, Kami standing on the ceiling completely visible but unnoticed by the humans until a pair of reptilian eyeballs, belonging to the mutant, fell into their food.

"Ohayo..." Kami said as he jumped down on a woman and slammed her skull against the wall, an instant concussion and shattered skull "I think we have some unfinished business, gentlemen" he stood still between them and the door "and I don't like that" his eye glowed as his sclera turned black.

"Ghoul!" One of the men gasped as he ran to call the GEC Hotline as his friend dashed at Kami with his sword "Playing the hero gets people murdered!" Kami evaded the sword as he charred or bit humans to death left and right and laughed.

"C'mon already..." The man said as he was put on hold as humans were being dispatched as they got in Kami's way as a voice said "GEC Headquarters, how may I help you?"

But before he could say anything, Kami caught him by the throat and plunged his friend's own sword through his neck as the phone fell, GEC still on the other line.

* * *

**Kami left a while after, so disappointed that a mutant wasn't among them that he left no one alive, meanwhile with Bane, he was more or less staying alive and he knew well enough that it wasn't Ronin's nature to be forgiving to opponents. Bane could also see that Priest was watching, as if taking note of his moves which he doesn't exactly trust.**

"Keep your damn eyes on your opponent" Ronin used his remarkable speed to dodge Bane every attempt to hit him as Priest's staring had him distracted "Me..." Ronin appeared close enough to whisper in his ear before lunging and grazing his throat with his sword as he somehow managed to evade the close call.

Ronin sniffed the blood on his sword and shook the sword, cleaning it completely as Priest looked at Bane, earning Ronin's attention as well "You shouldn't keep your eyes on me, but on your opponent" he said looking at Ronin, who kicked him hard in the chest as he barely had a chance to lift a finger to block.

"You got a good reason for being here, winged one?" Ronin asked, clearly annoyed with his fight being interrupted by the serious frown, but his emotions hidden "Rumor is, Kami lost his heart and soul recently...that's why milord is here" he glares at Bane knowingly as his stomach roars "you'll have enough time to eat, boy...after facing milord and the other Ghoul Lords, hunger won't kill you as I doubt you'll last long against them."

"By the way..." Priest stops Bane who noticed Ronin still glaring at him in annoyance "I just realized what Arc was after here"

"Arc, you mean that one winged angel you almost impaled?" Ronin queries, giving Bane a sword that he will be allowed to keep and Priest only nods "He wasn't here after Kami's soul...he was after yours, Asakura" he touches Bane's chest as he began to feel even more like he was at fault for everything that has happened so far.

**Bane nods as they meet the Ghoul Lords in an open area of the city, all of them having a dangerous aura about them, especially J'onn who although he didn't blame Bane for something out of either of their control was furious with himself for a fact that Kami blatantly pointed out and the other Ghoul Lords and even Bane did to a far lesser extent... He could easily fight and kill Kami but still loved him too much to raise a finger to harm him. Meanwhile, within the Crypt a prisoner, Taro Hizashi, was waiting for his chance to be free from this place forever and when he saw Bane during his visit with former fellow inmate, Chad, he saw his chance.**

Taro Hizashi is the one person you shouldn't put in a box with no way out like the Crypt. He's not only a master escape artist, thief and observer but has near photographic memory, learning the halls in a day, and the torturers here, had a mastery of several weapons, toxicology, psychology and psychoanalysis and a very deep hatred for the man who has his former job after putting him here as well as the Ghoul Lords, both J'onn and Kami, who agreed to him never seeing the light of day again _'Watashi wa sore o shūryō shi, hikari ga sorera no tsumetai me o nokoshite mite tanoshimu yo sugu no, anata no jinsei, aisuru kyōdai o tanoshimimasu' _(Enjoy your life, dear brother, for soon I'll enjoy ending it and watching the light leave those cold eyes) he said as he remembered that the man that incarcerated him was his own younger half brother, Ryuken Salazar, they had the same father and he despised his father for not killing that mistake of a younger brother of his. He is also aware that Salazar may not even know this, being alone most of his life as a young man.

"I think I'll pay this Bane a visit..." He prepared his special toxin and smeared his blades with the venomous liquid and waited "but a moment longer and my revenge will be mine for the taking" he was about to be free when he pretended to do nothing as Shin passed, he may hate the wardens, but the last thing on his mind for the moment is harming anyone, at least within these walls...he also longs to kill humans again, which isn't uncommon with convicts especially if they were once hunters.

**Taro then quickly picked the intricate lock on his cell, which took him years to teach himself without putting the entire prison into lockdown, and left through an underground passage that took him out into the forest, where both Shin and the torturers won't dare follow...now was different though, as they are well aware of his last escapade. Meanwhile, Bane was with Priest, until he was ready to face the Ghoul Lords or they grow tired of waiting, which was...unlikely for the majority, as J'onn was still pissed with everyone, Briarios wanted a fight that was worthy of his time and Tsu Chen, she was just trying to stay far from the two explosively violent men, like everyone else.**

"Keep me interested, boy" Braiarios said as Bane made it to where he was to be in the city when portals appeared and a Ghoul Lord walked out of each "impress me..."

"Get over yourself..." Bane said glaring at them, ready for a fight as Ryujin smiled wolfishly, he still wanted to eat Bane apparently, as he growled "That's the spirit, show us that other form of yours, boy" but Bane declines as he dared "Not happening...how about you make me"

**The Ghoul Lords look at each other in obvious shock, surely Bane wasn't bound to them in any way that he'd have to do as they said but they still didn't appreciate the young Ghoul's nerve to dare them. Some of them took it as a blow to their prides as Ryujin pulled out his sword and was practically drooling as he saw Bane and Briarios clenched his fists, he wasn't going to allow anyone to eat Bane, not Kurosaki or the Binge Eaters unless the only thing they wanted to eat were their own teeth when he punches them down their throats.**

Tsu Chen was the first to attack Bane, her fingers stretched to pointy, serrated talon (similar to Lust in FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood but much more serrated) as she came down on Bane attempting to impail him but he dodged anything that came his way.

"You're making this too easy..." Bane thought out loud as Tsu Chen growled "What makes you think I'm even trying, hm?" She turned invisible and dust picked up and various points around Bane who was looking around at high speed with his Kakugan _'I should be able to keep up with her...but how is she so fast?' _He thought before she appeared behing him and two fingers appeared through his chest "die..." She said as Bane almost forgot that she wasn't going to be his immediate threat for long and two more Ghoul Lords were ready to join the fray.

"Ready, old friend?" Briarios said to Bartalos' eyes glowed as he traced a seal in mid-air with his glowing hand, it appearing in a large area around Bane as he replied "always...your bloodlust might consume you if we leave the boy waiting any longer"

"I'm afraid I'll agree with you...this once" Briarios said as he jumped in followed by Bartalos "Show that other form of yours to me, Bane...otherwise I'll force it out"

**Bane was aware of the seal cast around him and could feel it prohibiting his mobility but somehow, he jumped back from Briarios' fist which punched a hole where he was just standing.**

_'He moved...how?' _Bartalos thought what Briarios was also probably thinking as he walked out of the cloud of dusty smoke his punch created "I'll give you time to turn into that monstrous side of yourself again...wouldn't want to disappoint your audience" he pointed at a protective bubble Bjorn created in the air with his parents and friends inside watching, he also saw how Yang was looking at him as well...cold, distant, expectant, a look Kami always gave Yang whenever they trained and he wasn't giving exemplary performance and results. He also still seemed the least happy about this.

"Disappointing..." Bjorn said "for someone claiming that he won't lose to anyone and will change Kami, of all people, Bjorn thinks you seem to have lost your conviction"

"You haven't seen anything until you come down here and say that to my face" Bane snarled "I may hate Kami and I'll never forgive him, but I've come to know him far better than any of you seem to ever have"

**Ryujin growled and stepped forward, but Bjorn's arm in his way stopped him.**

"Unless you want me to reduce your arms to stubs...at the shoulder, get out of my way" Ryujin said as he narrowly missed making his threat a reality before he charged in, two swords drawn.

Bane managed to blow back the others with a powerful gust, but Briarios managed to weather through it and pin him to the ground, determined to force that darker side of him out "Either you let that evil side out or die by my hand" he grinned evilly as he glanced up at Yang who was trying to claw his way out of the barrier, knowing Briarios would _definitely_ kill Bane.

"No!" Bane screamed as his world went black and Kami appeared.

* * *

**Kami appeared, leaving the world frozen blank except himself and Bane. He was willing to give Bane power in ample supply, but it came at a price he wasn't sure he could pay.**

_'You're losing...datte' _Kami's voice startle Bane as he stepped out from behind the Ghoul Lords as the startled Bane snapped "No, I'm not...stay out of my head" he held his head for a moment.

_'Are you kidding me?'_ Kami asked, clearly more concerned about Bane's mental health than his physical as he teleported between J'onn and Bjorn with his arms around their shoulders _'Once these bad boys join in there...you're screwed and you know it, Kami...the real one...would be so ashamed of his star...toy and you know with you gone, he'll be back here with a vengeance and kill every last person to ever oppose him' _Bjorn's eyes moved slowly to look at the shoulder Kami was touching as if he could feel it.

He appeared in Yang's seat with his arm around Tsume _'...the Beast will claim his Beauty as well'_

"Get your hands off her!" Bane snarled as the other Kami kissed her cheek _'Will you let my power embrace you then, let me take control or stay there and die like a loser?' _He teleported back to Bane and extended his hand as Bane said "I will...but I'll be in control this time"

Kami looked at the conviction in his eyes as their hands touched and a white light envelopes them and Kami grins madly _'Yeah friggin right'_ as time resumed it's normal course and Bane avoided the Ghoul Lords' attacks with more ease than before.

**Bjorn was still staring at his left shoulder and J'onn was beginning to get worried that Kami had unlocked a power within Bane beyond anyone's, even Bane's, control right now.**

"Did you feel that?" Bjorn asks, his eyes glued to his left shoulder as he could sense Bane's power raising like crazy with no sign of stopping as J'onn looked at him with worry "Feel what?"

"Something touched Bjorn's shoulder for a split second just now...felt like Kami" he said as he indeed felt the touch that no one else was supposed to feel.

"Don't make a joke like that in the mood I'm in" J'onn warns as no one wants to get on his really bad side right now "Shall we?"

* * *

**J'onn and Bjorn joined the fight to see that Bane had turned into the wolf form he assumed under Kami's control when Yamamoto found Yang, much to everyone's surprise and despite the control he had, he didn't have enough to stop himself from going berserk. He would attack Yang again but seeing as he was currently out of reach, he settled for the Ghoul Lords instead.**

"You've made me angry" Wolf Bane snarled as his stood on his hind legs began spinning, creating a tornado that was pulling the Ghoul Lords in slowly "You'll soon be dead before regretting it." It was soon enveloped in a flame that was almost mistaken for Kami's Amaterasu as it was black but has red embers as well and was more free flowing, not as closely linked to his emotions...still linked, but weaker.

**The Ghoul Lords were forced to use their masks, if they had any chance of fighting the vortex's gravitational pull but when it stopped, things only got worse...and much more dangerous as he concentrated all that fire and wind into a sphere of highly volatile winds and red/black flames to the size of a marble as he shot it at where Yang was, evidently knocking those closest to him back but the blast was sliced in two before hitting it's target.**

"You're just a magnet for trouble, aren't you, lady?" The man wearing the Cheshire Cat mask as he slashed the blast in two with ease and glanced back at Tsume removing his mask enough to show a small smirk before returning to his stony expression "this is becoming a tedious habit" his voice was light and calm but still had a slight dangerous edge to it.

He noticed Yang watching him with caution "Who is this bastard, Tsume?"

"I would like to know as well, he was with Rokusho-san when we were being followed by The One, disguised as a Binge Eater and protected me and Scar" Tsume replied as Scar nodded in agreement but looked down there "I should be down there..."

"Damn right we should" Yang said but grew silent from the glare Scar gave him "_I_ should be down there to guide Tartaron-sama, while _you_ should be nowhere near Bane"

Yang's eyes glowed dangerously "Why is everyone saying that when I'm his father?!"

_'Deddobīto Otosan' _(Deadbeat dad) Tsujin coughed as Yang's glowing glare turned on him and he looked back "Touch me and I'll kill you..." He said lowly.

"My name...Kotetsu, and I will be the one to end this" Kotetsu said as he flew straight at Wolf-Bane, who saw him coming from a mile away. He caught his shortsword by the blade.

* * *

**Wolf-Bane knocked him aside with his sword broken and a claw mark across his chest and mask but he wasn't hurt much despite being hit hard and Bane trying to restrain the wolf's part of his mind to not kill and was losing that battle.**

"Bane, stop!" Tsume said as Bane seemed to hear her and help his head in a struggle before his eyes flashed "Bane...isn't here" Wolf-Bane said _'Yuiitsu no shiroi kiba'_ (Only White Fang)

J'onn came at him with several punches but he danced past them and blocked, showing that he has taken advantage of Bane's martial arts training with Scar and Yamamoto, with skill, power and speed Bane currently doesn't have in his human form.

"Come now, old man, you can do much better than that now" _Shiroi Kiba_ or _Shiro_ said "I know you can...and call me Shiro"

Shiro slashed at J'onn barely catching him as he jumped back "I will like to speak to Bane in that form, not you abomination!"

"Abomination? Me?" Shiro snarled as he created a large black ball of flame from his mouth "Learn your place, Ghoul Lord!" Smaller balls of flame burst from the large one, bombarding everyone except Kotetsu, the ninja somehow evaded the danger.

* * *

**By this time, Taro Hizashi had made it nearby and although he could easily dispatch Totetsu, he was more captivated by the sight of Shiro as he stepped out into the open. Upon seeing him, Scar was even more determined than Yang to join the fight, the two having a cruel history with one another, knowing how dangerous Taro is compared to Scar.**

"What the heck?" Taro stopped as he saw Shiro "new wolf pelt coat, here I come" he ran out to him but stopped short, noticing that he was already in a fight with J'onn and others he weren't really interested in.

It was also clear of the wolf's fighting style, which although it wasn't exactly and strictly Scar's own, but there were moves that Scar and his nimrod apprentice knew.

**He looked around and felt like he was being watched, finding Scar trapped and looking at him with those burning eyes of his.**

"Well if it isn't Salazar" Taro smirked as it was Scar's turn to look angry "Why are you out of the Crypt Purgatory?!" He asked, speaking of the worst part of the Crypt which was said to be the equivalent of the real Purgatory that Ghouls are allowed in after death like humans.

"Being in a cell suits you well, brother" Taro said with a slight satisfaction in the smile on his face "and have we been apart for so long that you've forgotten that I'm not an easy man to hold?"

Ryuken looked at Bane at the same time as Taro did "No..." He couldn't close his eyes.

"Yes..." Taro said as he charged at Shiro but Scar snarled "Hey, Bjorn!"

Bjorn looked at him without a reply "Let me out of here"

"Not a risk Bjorn is willing to take" was Bjorn's reply "there's no telling what this Shiro's true intentions are if any of you leave that barrier"

"I'm not taking no for an answer...things will only get worse if that man gets to him first and I know what they're both capable of better than anyone"

"Let him out and he'll shut his mouth" Briarios sulked as Bjorn agreed with a sigh "Fine..." and snapped his fingers as the barrier opened under his feet and he fell into a portal which dropped him closer to the ground as he charged and was fast enough to catch Taro's hand before he could touch Bane.

"Get away from him!" Scar said as he engaged Taro with a couple kicks to the face but Taro predicted his movements, dodging and blocking the fast attacks.

"You're in my way...fighting with anger is so unlike you, brother" Taro smirked as Scar retaliated viciously, concentrating Lightning and Dark magic into his fist and grazing Taro "don't toy with me and _don't_ call me your brother"

"I never considered us family anyway why I took care of that inept father of ours the same way I'm gonna kill you" Taro whipped out his poisoned blades and dashed at Scar but missed, the blade passing close enough to his face that he could see and smell the noxious, acidic poisons "I understand this brat better than any of you could, that is only one of his many new personas, I'm doing you a favor here-"

"Killing Bane isn't doing anyone a favor, doesn't even satisfy your need for blood and anarchy" Scar said viciously as Taro chuckled "You're right, Nii-san, I'm far too fucked up to be fazed by an easy kill like this one."

**Taro lunged at Scar but stopped short, feeling the tip of a sword at his throat in a manner the one stab or step forward could very well behead him as he looked back to see Kotetsu behind him.**

"Not another step..." Kotetsu warned as Taro merely groaned, glaring at him with his own bloodlust as he swung both arms but Kotetsu stopped one arm with a hidden blade and the other with his foot.

Scar came in with a kick Kotetsu tried to impale him with his blade but Taro wasn't having it, catching his foot with his free hand and releasing Kotetsu's grip on his other arm before he kicked them both in the gut respectively.

"I know more about what's happening to this kid than any of you...for the last time, step aside" Scar notices that Taro wasn't any better at controlling himself as he was pinned to the ground by Briarios who snapped "I'll crush you if you even twitch" causing Scar to snap with glowing eyes and gritted teeth "How dare you interrupt, Ghoul Lord?!"

"Do whatever you're doing...quick" he warned "any funny business and I'll make sure you have no chance of returning to the Crypt, if you know what I'm saying"

Taro walked past the two as he smirked "I'm still going to kill you, Ryuken...just like I did our father" that only enraged Scar further.

* * *

**Taro connected his mind to Bane's consciousness by pinning the larger wolf to the ground and placing two fingers on his forehead, paralyzing them both...Taro entered Bane's mind to find three beings waiting to stop him from getting to Bane. Shiro, the Wolf form of Bane, Dark Bane, who looked just as Bane did but pure evil and the being who calls himself Kami, looking like Kami Kurosaki or Bane's mind's representation of him at least.**

"This should be interesting..." He got ready to fight as Shiro growled "you dare enter _our_ mind, jail bird?"

"Yes, let me pass as I'd prefer not to hurt you" Taro lied as he wanted to obliterate them on sight and Kami laughed "Obliterate us?" He mocked "I'm sure you've got us fooled with someone else."

"He's dead serious..." Dark Bane said, his arms behind his back as the other two looked at him with unasked questions "he's a completely delusional, soon to be dead idiot...but a serious one, I'd give him that"

"Regardless..." Shiro snarled "he's _NOT_ passing us" he glanced at the real Bane behind than in a meditative trance that Taro wanted to break in order to rescue him.

"Not, can't...I don't like those words" Taro charged at the three "I prefer can and WILL!"

* * *

**Elsewhere, Kami had found the humans he was looking for and knocked on the door, grinning like a madman.**

"Who's there?" A man opened the door and saw no one before slamming the door shut.

Little did they know that Kami was inside until he took the eyeballs of the mutant and threw it in their laps, scaring the daylights out of them "A souvenir, humans, like it?" He asked as he jumped to the ground and caught one of them by the neck.

"If I taste your blood, nothing happens" Kami explained, the humans not seeing his point "but if you were to ingest my blood, you'd have greater power that I'd need for an army to kill some certain 'someones', are you in?" Kami bit his finger, revealing his bright crimson blood

"What?" The men looked at each other then to Kami, still not understanding his offer "there's no reason for us to help a monster"

But Kami is in no mood for defence, already restraining his rage and even these mere human could feel his killing intent as he grabbed one of the men and slowly forced his mouth closer to his bleeding finger.

"Just a little bit..." He said as a tiny drop of his blood was enough to corrupt each human and put them under his power.

**He then took his new corrupted humans to a special place to Ghouls as well as their would-be identities should they be reincarnated, located on an an abandoned island of the coast of Japan that is said to be moving around Japan itself. He was coming to terms that he was always jealous of the Ghoul Lords and that they were more respected than him, mainly because he was known to be extremely cruel, especially if you stood between him and something he thought was rightfully his.**

Kami and the corrupted humans made it to the island in one peace but he knew it was guarded, which was why he corrupted these scapegoats in the first place, to distract the living embodiment of each element that inhabited the island that no Ghoul was allowed to set foot on, a sort of Sacred Ground "you can deal with them, I have business elsewhere..." He took off into the forest alone, not wanting to cross the Elementals or Regis, mainly the Earth and Water ones. This place was a Ryker's Island for Ghouls, after all but far more dangerous.

* * *

**Kami's every move was being watched by Kazuma 'Kaz' Smoke, the man in charge of this place that also holds a grudge against Kami for banishing him here, a mistake he'll soon wish he never made.**

_'Mā, wareware wa koko de nani o motte imasu ka?' _(Well, what do we have here?) Kaz said, adjusting the two cigars in his mouth as he looked at the inconspicuous orbs of light that made him an all-seer on this island and he saw Kami dash past his view fast "Seems my banisher has seen it fit to pay an unwanted visit...he better not touch my cigars."

"Hn?" He noticed that Kami wasn't seeking him but the Great Alter which was strange as no one, even Kaz himself, has ever shown any interest in going there and mentally ordered for him to be followed "Why are you here, Kuro?" He was the only person other than J'onn that had the nerve to still use Kami's old nickname.

* * *

**Back with Kami, he'd come upon and wall that seemed to be part of the rainforest landscape, but it wasn't and it wasn't going to stop him either.**

"What the-?" Kami looked at the wall in growing anger and frustration, something he's been able to control less since his banishment as he punched through the wall and tore his way in "Nothing is going to stop me from what I seek"

Inside was the room of predictions, which predicted the identity of everyone in another life, even himself and J'onn and he knew where to find this mystery man as he searched both the J section for J'onn and the L section for Lebeau which was where he came upon the Lebeau Family line of humans...remembering something his father talked about, Kami expected there to be humans in the K section under Kurosaki as well but resisted looking, for the moment.

"Ah, there you are" Kami found a picture that he didn't know was the young future Remy Etienne Lebeau or Gambit but those charismatic red on black eyes was what stuck out from the others though Kami couldn't be certain if he was a Ghoul at all "Mystery Lebeau, once you're born I'll make sure you don't make it to even one year old" Kami knew he was French-Cajun as well.

**Kami then frowned coldly and left the island like he was never there, disappearing into ash to escape, knowing his human diversions were all but dead by now.**

* * *

**A/N - Kami now knows that J'onn is going to be reincarnated as Gambit but doesn't know his name, other than he's surely a Lebeau, how does he plan to assassinate him once he's born and can Taro survive Bane's inner demons and why can't he turn back to human? All and more to come, just wait until the Crypt learns of Taro's escape and his past with Ryuken Salazar and intervene. R&amp;R and enjoy!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 28**

**Taro was within Bane's consciousness, planning to save him if it could be the only good thing he'd do in his life...too bad the three personas in the 18 year old Ghoul's surprisingly stable mind if Taro guessed what Kami must have put him through to earn something as rash as well as embarassing on a Ghoul Lord's part, banishment...**

"Let me through!" Taro would be lying to himself if he said he didn't want to murder these three on sight, but he didn't know what effect that would have on Bane if he killed them...if he could, that is. He also realized that his blades were no longer poisoned, which was noted as a setback.

"Shut up, I'm tired of hearing you!" the Kami lookalike charges at Taro with a punch but he spun past the punch with a lunge of his blades but Kami also somehow dodged and Taro, observant as he is, almost didn't notice Dark Bane was floating in the air above them, ready to ambush him with a burst of dark energy.

"Not in this lifetime..." Taro said as he evaded the attack at the last second, Kami getting the jolt instead, shocking him enough to knock a Ghoul out and completely fry a human "Nice...so the other Bane knows the Dark Arts of Magic somehow"

**He noticed that Shiro was gone and after seeing the wolf singlehandedly kick all the Ghoul Lords' asses, he felt insulted that the wolf wasn't in any way interested in showing him what he's truly made of as he made his way to the entranced 'real' Bane and they looked at each other at the same time as the wold extended his claws with a look on his face of bloodlust.**

"What do you think you're doing?" Taro said blitzing past the other two and straight at Shiro, now prepared to kill regardless of the effect it'd have on Bane Asakura _'Hane nashi ātosutairu: Pāmushatā'_ (Bladeless Art Style: Shatter Palm) he concentrated enough raw magic in one palm strike to crush a mountain which barely grazed Shiro's side before he redirected Taro's hand in a second. Taro was shocked as he quickly brought his blades up to stop the incoming claws.

"You seem surprised..." Shiro said as he clarifies "I am very capable of learning...when Bane was being taught these fighting styles and how to stop them...so was I" Shin kicked him back to the ground as he stepped on his chest and crushed him, revealing that it wasn't the real Taro as he evaporated to smoke. Shiro glared at where Taro was.

"Who looks surprised now...Shiro-sama?" He heard behind him and looked to see Taro ready to stab Bane through the chest, doing this here with not need to injure his physical body or kill him have an immediate effect on the three before him as Bane will be cut off from them and vice versa, meaning he won't be 'tormented' by them.

"Attack me and I'll cut him up so finely that you can see him organs...in detail" Taro snarled, his bloodlust still left unsatisfied "and don't test me"

"Stop..." Dark Bane said "if you do that, you'll break him...he won't be able to take our advice"

"If your advice is turning him into a monster and attacking people...I like it" Taro said "but the emotional mind games are unnecessary, just like his life" he was about to lunge at Bane when he thought he heard something bothersome enough to stop him and put his ear closer to Bane, when he was defenite what he heard now "Wait, is-is he asleep?"

Bane was snoring, he was definite as he glared back at the three "I asked if he was sleeping?!" He snapped, still uncertain why he left them alive.

"Of course he is" the Kami lookalike laughed despite Taro's icy glare turning on him at that moment "I know who Kami Kurosaki is and I'm afraid I'm not him, so don't even think about calling me that name again since I have my own, Kansatsu...it means observer"

Taro glared at them "I could care less who or what you are, ya know" he turned and slapped Bane hard "wake up, gaki!"

* * *

**Bane's black eyes open without a sign that he felt anything from the slap that was hard enough to damage his neck as he bagan fading away and his consciousness returned to his own body. Meanwhile, back in the real world, Bjorn was worried of what would become of Bane's astounding power if left unchecked, even if he was only 18, but this 18 year old not only fought Kami to a standstill wholeheartedly despite being defeated, but faced them as well when other discouraged him with the real thought of death as his wolfish features regressed to human and Scar chose to restrain Taro's arms and confiscate his weapons before that happened.**

"This kid is more trouble that I'd like to deal with for a long time" Briarios smirked "but he has earned at least my respect today" he looked at the other Ghoul Lords as they nodded in agreement as Bartalos frowned "but he's dangerous once those emotions of his goes wild"

"That's the fun part..." Briarios said as Bjorn raised an eyebrow "This may not be because you just enjoy fighting him so much, is it?"

"Sí, my German friend" Briarios bowed mockingly, Bjorn looking at him like he was a madman as he chuckled "Madness must be blissful, Mr. Briarios" he rolled his eyes, spotting Scar restraining Taro and separating him from his poisoned weapons.

"Is that really necessary, Scar?" Tsume asks as he replies "Believe me, you'll thank me later for this as I for one plan to be better safe than sorry."

Bane opened his eyes to see Briarios standing over him, extending his hand as he groaned "my head feels like you kicked me in the head" he also saw Kansatsu looking down at him with a smirk at what he said.

Briarios frowned slightly and stomped the ground close to his head "I'm the last person you want doing a tango on your head, believe me kid, I like you but don't push your luck or I just might..." He extended his hand to Bane "get up, I'm not missing any feasts because you're slow"

"What the-?" Taro snarls as he awakens to find his arms bound and shot a look at Scar "Is this the thanks I get for keeping this punk's inner demons from tearing you limb from limb?"

"You think I don't know you well enough to have an eye kept on the Crypt?" Scar narrowed his eyes dangerously "the wardins aren't ones to complain, but with the step up in security, I thought it best to add my own layer of security of the B-Squad Hunters I personally trained"

Taro's eyes perked up to his younger half-brother "You have Binge Eaters working for you?" He chuckles "We know for a fact that our father worked for Kami before his...untimely demise and it was no illusion that Kami didn't know about us prior to his death but might have killed him by now"

"It's been a while since I've been to one of your legendary banquets, Bjorn" Tsu Chen rested an arm on the taller, larger Ghoul Lord's arm as his eyes slowly turned to her with smile only she could see, but didn't trust "Don't keep me waiting now." She knew Bjorn wasn't married like herself and wasn't planning to anytime soon despite being one of the oldest and definitely the wisest Ghoul Lords, he wasn't the nicest person though as he would get annoyed with people easily and once watched a woman that planned to marry him be fed upon by feral Binge Eaters...he felt nothing as he was the one to have her killed, meaning that his niceness was no facade but the darker side of his persona wasn't one a Ghoul would like to meet.

"Time and time again you do this to Bjorn" Bjorn said removing her arm from his shoulder as his husky voice suddenly got darker for a second as he gave a darker than usual glare "If you thought Bane was scarred now, if he sees what Bjorn'll do to you if you pull another stunt like that one, even his untainted mother and equally scarred father will be scarred beyond even anything Bjorn can repair...emotionally, of course"

The darkness receded from Bjorn but he kept those grey orbs on her as she now wouldn't dare look him in the eye as he rose one hand, his palm facing the sky "Let the banquet begin"

Bane looked at Bjorn "I still don't trust you...you're just like Kami" Bjorn looked at him with the same cold expression "Good, it matters not as you weren't given a reason to or any choice in the matter...you're a hunter now, they will get us our meals"

"Like hell I'll ever do that for you" Bane slowly got to his feet, but angered by his defiance wasn't going to sit well with Ryujin, who whipped out his sword and charged "You little..."

Briarios snarled "don't antagonize me, brat" rushing in with a punch.

**Suddenly, both men stopped dead in their tracks, Bane hadn't blinked and he still hadn't seen Bjorn appearing and standing between the infuriated Ghoul Lords and him with malice in his eyes as it seemed they'd never stopped moving.**

Bane's eyes narrowed as he saw that they were still moving...but either he was moving much too fast for them or they'd almost stopped moving completely "Wise words, young man...show respect to those deserving of it or it might cost you more than your life someday" as portals made the two disappear and fall a distance away on their feet. Ryujin shook his head and closed his eyes as he slowly sheathed his sword as Bartalos looked at Bane, his cold eyes following his every move and his anger nonexistent.

Scar came up "We should catch the Hunters before we're left behind" he gestured for Bane to follow him and Yamamoto as he looked at Tsujin "are you coming too?"

"Why would I do that?" Tsujin said in slight confusion "I'm no Hunter...I'll be at the Library if you need me reading up on The One and the demons, since Yamamoto obviously can't right now"

"I've never met a non human creature that likes to read like a Ghoul before..." Bane chuckled as Briarios snuck up on him with a slap to the face that sent him crashing aside "I think you're calling me a retard...I don't like that" he growled "go before I smack you all over this city."

"Are you...okay?" Tsume looks at J'onn, who looked a bit dismayed as he simply nodded "Ouí, at least I hope so...but like Bane, I won't be getting over this any time soon"

* * *

**Bane, Scar and Yamamoto left in a hurry, meanwhile elsewhere five Ghouls were awaiting them with the order to absolutely NOT begin hunting until they get there...Kami wasn't far away either.**

_'Otoko wa, watashitachi wa matanakereba naranai nodesu ka?'_ (Man, do we have to wait?) A silver eyed ghoul with greyish black hair whined as he gripped his angry stomach demanding food.

_'Monku o teishi shi, wareware wa subete no kūfuku'_ (Stop complaining, we're all hungry) a man beside him with piercings in his face and bright orange hair kept in a ponytail that it was almost impossible to discern his gender as he looked at another blank emotioned Ghoul "I heard Ryuken-san has a new recruit to 'break in', rumor has it he's the son of Yang-san"

"Yang Hiachi's kid?" One of the other ghouls asked in as much visible surprise as the others as the man with piercings remarked "no, I think I heard he was Kami-sama's kid"

"I got a glimpse o' the boy's mother too, whew" a man known as Kisuke said brushing his messy rust colored blonde hair out of his face "I wouldn't mind a girl like her"

**The men chuckled and nodded in agreement as Scar, Yamamoto and Bane came upon them. Scar heard the bit about Tsume and felt he needed to defend her, seeing that she was his friend.**

"What was that about Miss Asakura?" Scar said coming up behind them as Kisuke, a known pervert, smiled sheepishly "I said nothing wrong, Scar-san"

"Whatever...but I'd best warn you that you're not her type" Yamamoto warned "none of you are after Kami hurt her and her mate is none other than Yang-san."

"Yang?" The men sweat dropped as Yamamoto smiled "He won't beat you to a bloody pulp as long as you keep your distance and he hates perverts of any kind, you needn't worry otherwise."

"Who's the kid?" The pierced Ghoul named Zeke said, his stare penetrating Bane's eyes as Bane bowed "my name is Bane Asakura, pleased to meet you" as the Ghouls looked at him like he was from another planet as Zeke laughed and conked him on the head with his fist replying "Bane, huh?"

"There's no need for such pleasantries with us, as we'll be seeing each other a lot" Nara said, his silver eyes also piercing Bane "wait...you're that kid that banished Kami, aren't you?"

Bane nodded, not liking the attention about what he did to Kami "I wasn't there, but I'd like to thank you on behalf of all the Hunters" Bane shrugged as he replied "okay, then"

**They began making their way through the forest, but Bane began to see Kami in his mind and was beginning to pass out as they came upon a recently used but empty camp...**

"What do we have here?" Zeke asked himself out loud as he kneeled next to what used to be a camp fire as he shoves his hand in the still hot cinders with no concern "this was recent...two maybe three hours since it was put out and left"

Yamamoto and two of the men rummaged the tent but found nothing that could lead them to who could've been there as Bane, Scar and Zeke checked the area in separate directions.

Bane has been having a bad feeling since before meeting the Hunters and it was about to get worse as his shadow took a life of it's own and the shape of Kami behind him "You're not going to find me there, kid" the voice only he could hear said as a startled Bane looks behind him to see nothing and glares at his own shadow, which was normal.

* * *

**Elsewhere, not far from Bane and the Hunters, Kami stopped as he smelled intruders on his camp...it wasn't a problem as they'd never find any of his belongings there and he had almost 30 of these similar camps purposely littered around, plus they couldn't check them all alone.**

Kami stopped as he heard a sound and spied down to see Yamamoto talking about Bane and his...dark tendencies...with a Hunter that seemed concerned as to why he was so silent around them and didn't trust them.

"I think I'll look deeper into the forest" Bane looks at Scar who nods and Yamamoto accompanies him "I'll come with you"

_'Not if I have anything to say about it'_ Kami thought as he decides to kill them without making his presence known and lure Bane to him, preferably alone as he whipped out some strips of bamboo he had formed into straws and sharpened to razor points and threw one, hitting Kisuke in the pressure point at the back of his neck knocking him out cold.

"Kisuke" Nara called out trying to wake him to no avail as Kami chose his next target as Nara himself as he aimed at his forehead with a sure to kill strike before Scar snarled "Everyone, get together and close to me now!"

Kami tried to stop this but failed as he even turned and almost took Bane out but a burst of wind erupted from his body splitting the projectile without him moving as Yamamoto caught the ones sent at him "hollow strips of bamboo, only one person I know is that clever..."

Bane looked up in time to see Kami disappearing into the trees but couldn't tell his identity by his cloak "Kami..." As he jumped into the trees to see the shrouded figure and pursued as Yamamoto called out "Bane, stop...don't go after him alone!" But the vengeance filled young Ghoul went after Kami, no longer listening to anyone.

Scar laid Kisuke down as he assessed the injury "a direct strike to a pressure point to shut his nervous system down..." He touched the bamboo senbon lightly and felt that it was warm "hollofied weapon...lets a flow of air in to prohibit healing when heated slightly enough."

"I'll take care of them" Yamamoto said walking out with a handful of the same bamboo senbons "only Kami is that precise, find Bane before Kami can set whatever plan he has into motion"

Scar spared one last glance at his men before going after Bane.

* * *

**Elsewhere, back in the city J'onn had returned to his home office alone with Taro who he tossed absently on a couch as he set to doing something away from the prying eyes of the other Ghoul Lords...tracking down Kami with a tracking spell he'd casted on him unknowingly as he left the city, banished.**

"Hey, unhand me" Taro snapped as J'onn bought him into his office and dropped his butt on a hard couch as he yelped "ow, where am I and what makes you think you can manhandle me like this?"

"Sit down and shut up" J'onn warned "there's something I need to do...away from prying eyes" Taro's eyes widened immediately "...from the other Ghoul Lords?"

J'onn only nodded, his expression being a mixture of sadness and barely containable rage...a look even Taro had never ever seen before.

"I'll tell them everything I see" Taro smirked as J'onn flinched "Want to go back to the Crypt...in pieces?" The Ghoul Lord snarled as Taro simply shook his head rather than opening his mouth again "then as long as this stays between us, you'll never go back to that place and remain in one peace...I'd also like you to be Bane's bodyguard and keep watch over him when I can't"

J'onn pulled out a crystal ball, hidden within the wall which turned intangible at only his (or Kami's) touch right behind his desk and placed it on the desk.

Taro looked at it and only saw something worth a lot of money on the city's black market and if he was right about it's ridiculous price tag, being Bane's bodyguard would give him access to J'onn's office whenever he pleased as Bane seems to be rather close to the Ghoul Lord and comes here often.

**The crystal ball glowed before showing Kami leading Bane and Scar to a old delapidated house, Kami look as if he's looking right at J'onn and frowns for a moment as Bane orders him to stop.**

"Stop right there" Bane said as he came up behind the hooded man he was fairly certain was Kami as he turned revealing his glowing eyes replying "yeah and I'm just going to stop because _you_ say so, you still have much to learn, my favorite little smart ass."

Suddenly, Scar jumped out of nowhere with his fast Snake-style martial arts but Kami evaded the attacks to his face by inches before retaliating aggressively with his Tiger Style fighting techniques, scratching at Scar to tear his shirt to ribbons and scratch his face despite his better evasion.

"You're in my way!" Kami snarled as he knocked Scar back with both hands and looked at Bane with a smile "You somehow deflected my senbon without moving back there and I _know _this baka couldn't teach you something that he clearly doesn't know" he pointed his thumb at Scar, still stunned by Kami's attack.

"Why are you here?" Bane snarled as Kami retaliated "you put me here, that's self explanatory and as long as I live I intend to fully torment you and make you pay"

"Bane, get away from him..." Scar said as Bane fell to his knees with his own internal struggle causing Kami to laugh "Like I'd actually allow that..."

"You're right...Kami-sama" Bane slowly rose to his feet, a darkness flowing from him "that was something I made up specially to fight you...Scar-sensei didn't know a thing, now die"

Bane charged at him with his own Wolf style series of fist, knees, elbows and even headbutts as he did that rotation thing again, knocking Kami on his back "J'onn isn't as trustworthy as you think either, he's watching us at this very moment and will watch as I take you away." He switched to his Drunken Fist, which he could use so well that he didn't need to be drunk...his healing factor preventing it and all as he struggled to his feet but fell back down in his drunken stupor.

Bane and Scar were as confused as they'll ever be as their guard dropped completely as Bane edged closer to the passed out ex-Ghoul Lord slowly and cautiously.

When he realized he was given his chance, he jumped into the air in an effort to crush Kami's internal organs with one blow but Kami raised his foot so that Bane would land on the sole of his foot harmlessly then used his momentum to spin as Bane jumped back.

"You're better off with me than J'onn" Kami warned "for one thing, I can teach you to make those demons of yours submit to the fact that you're in control whereas J'onn can't" he said referring to Bane's wolf form as well as the other two personas "I wasn't wearing the mask of the Demon for nothing, I understand them...and you...even better than you do."

Bane suddenly disappeared and appeared right in his face "Shut up and die!" As Kami smirked "if J'onn would've allowed that, I'd be dead a long time ago and we never would've met meaning you'd never known your own father was keeping things from you"

Bane started spinning again as a red aura of magic spiraled and grew around him _'Kaiten'_ (Rotation) he spun as a ball of wind appeared around him trying to tear Kami to ribbons and knocking him through the front door of the very old house.

"Bane...don't take his words to heart or he'll control you like the last time" Scar said as Bane looks back at him rising to his feet "We'll fight him better together" Bane merely nodded.

"Naïve fools, he's done for weather he listens to me or not" Kami whispered as his narrowed eyes widened with a menacing glow "Welcome to my Hell!"

* * *

**Bane was ready but Kami was enraged now and there was no J'onn or Yang to protect him from his furious wrath this time as a blast of black flames blew remnants of the building apart and shot past Scar and Bane. Meanwhile J'onn and Taro make their way to them but little does Taro know that if he doesn't go to the Crypt, the Crypt will come looking for him.**

Shin walked through the halls of the Crypt, being blind never made it an arduous task as he went to a room close to the back of the prison, a few prisoners knew of Taro's escape but knew well enough to keep it to themselves in Shin's presence because not only would he hear them much better and quicker than Yakuzo, not that he wasn't any more dangerous because he was a third of Shin's size but they were both very narcissistic individuals who clearly enjoyed seeing others hurt far more than your everyday Ghoul.

Shin made it to the door as he heard a soundless scream inside that no one else could "Yakuzo-san..." Shin opened the door as Yakuzo had one of the Torturers in chains before him, the same one that left the prison and attacked Bane "That Asakura kid's an intriguing fellow, isn't he, stupid for thinking he's anywhere near a match for Kami Kurosaki of all people, but intriguing all the same"

"Yes...he might be a bit off but seems more determined than anyone I've seen in years to stop Kurosaki-san...I heard he even brought Old Man Kurosaki back to life recently" Yakuzo asks as he continued to cut the creature open, Torturers of The Wicked may look more or less human on the outside, but on the inside was a different story as they were hollow and only kept alive by some powerful magic and the closest thing they have to Ghouls and Humans is that they only feel good when they're chopping the life out of something, not showing any sign of emotion otherwise and have lately developed the need for self-preservation as their bodies are like cloth, they can sew themselves up and will only defend themselves when the feel threatened.

Shin decided to leave him to his fun but Yakuzo stopped him "Shin...have you by any chance, ever wanted to leave this place...y'know, go outside?" He asked as Shin frowned and his head fell "No, why do you ask?"

"Well, come see me after keep an ear on the convicts" Yakuzo turned to Shin with a smile as he pulled a crystal of dark magic essence out of the ToTW that was supposedly placed there by Kami in order to later control it before his banishment during one of his impromptu visits where Shin would have to be hidden away "I have a gift for you"

"A gift...whatever" Shin said as Yakuzo pouted "you don't seem all that grateful or pleased about it" but Shin shook his head "that isn't what this was about, I'm always grateful for a gift from my only friend...I lost my eyes when I was very young and came to this place to hide from my pursuers, Kami and his men"

"I remember...you wanted to die that day" Yakuzo said "but Lord J'onn convinced you not to, as he had no reason to take your life either, but you felt guilt about Kami destroying your clan while you were forced to watch...it was the last thing you ever saw"

Shin perked up a bit "How do you know that, don't ever peek into my memories!" He warned as Yakuzo raised his hands in defence "I know that because I was there and, except for the blindness you suffered, the same thing happened to my family, wife and young ones"

Shin froze mid step "How many young ones?" He asked, shocked "you needn't answer if you don't want to"

"Three" Yakuzo said as Shin walked out, sadness in his eyes but it wouldn't last "you know, Yamamoto Hatake, one of the best Hunters in the city and apprentice to master Salazar, lost his whole clan as well but it turned out Kami faked killing them and trapped them in another dimension meant to make even Ghoul afraid for years...so there is a possibility that they're alive too" Shin then left with the kind words of advice. "I hope you're right cuz their deaths didn't look at all faked..." Yakuzo whispered to himself even though he knew Shin heard him despite no longer being in the room.

* * *

**Shin went out to the cells and despite his size compared to Yakuzo, who would be better suited for this but Shin was always a silent fellow and the least likely to be caught eavesdropping and what he learned was so unexpected that he almost flew into a rage but knew well enough to bide his time and as always it pays off as word spread like wildfire of Taro, the escape artist. Hearing this made Shin disgruntled enough to finally ask a favor of Yakuzo, a favor he swore he'd never ask. The Ghoul Lords, all but J'onn were at Yamamoto and Scar's place with Tsume, Yang, and the G.E.C as the Ghoul Lords had found separate places to be alone, awaiting Bane's return. There were Ghouls still appearing among them, some eager to meet Bane.**

"Milady, are we ready to make preparations for the banquet?" A slim man simply barged into the house and went to Tsu Chen in the living room with Yang, who was relatively ignorant of her whispering sweet nothings into his ear as she looked at him as she replied "not quite yet, dear Sin, Bane isn't back yet" as the man known as Sin as he nodded and sat not far from her, Yang doesn't seem to trust anyone and prefers to leave but Scar threatened him to keep close to the Ghoul Lords and at least get to know them and trust them.

There lies the problem though, the Ghoul Lords don't trust Yang anymore than he trusts them and he'd prefer hunting Kami down and making him pay for his deeds and for seemingly using even him, his own student who saw him as a father figure, to his own ends "Tell me we aren't getting anymore unwanted..." Yang said with a bored look as his eye turned on Sin "...and annoyingly rude guests"

"That only depends on how many Ghouls are coming..." Bartalos said from the backyard as Yang went out there to find him in the centre of J'onn's zen garden - why someone as eccentric and curious as him had a zen garden in the first place when he still couldn't control his anger, Yang still couldn't wrap his head around - balancing on one foot one on a stick with no care that he may fall as the stick was effortlessly straight and not wobbly at all.

"What in the name-?" Yang looked pissed, seeing Bartalos as a bit of show off as he smirked "tell me, why were you so determined to stop Kami's banishment ceremony?"

"One, do you really need and whole 'ceremony' just to banish someone?" Yang retaliated "because I highly doubt, with absolutely no exaggeration, that being banished is much of a problem to someone like Kami"

"Why do you say that?" Briarios appeared suddenly with a very calm disposition that Yang doesn't trust, seeing first hand what the mental Ghoul Lord was capable of when he went off "I say, it wouldn't have matter if the trial went with either Kami or Bane being banished, they're both guilty and Bane has nothing to be happy about, same for you"

"I know Kami very well, he was always strong, a survivor..." Yang looked sad "in the days after his possession by the One and waking from the coma it put him in, he felt trapped like he was a cage, so used to never staying in one place like when we were younger that it could drive him mad..."

"Your point is...?" Briarios hated people who talked too much sometimes...even other Ghoul Lords as Yang snapped "he hates the city lifestyle just as much as I do and thrives more beyond the invisible walls of this city"

"That was his strength over ze rest of us..." Bjorn proclaimed "being the youngest and weakest of us also fueled his fire even more, Bjorn believes that he knew all along that we were watching him even though he hadn't shown any shock or care for it"

"Especially once he'd lost contact with the traitor that allowed him access to our homelands without our knowledge" Braiarios commented as Yang turned to them with a Kami-like fire in his eyes "Don't call Kami a weakling...ever...again in my presence, I don't give a living shit _who_ you are...Kami was a survivor long before a Ghoul Lord, which was what made him strong"

All the Ghoul Lords looked at him, hoping the one man that knows Kami Kurosaki better than even they and his own long-lost father knows him "he's telling the truth...I saw it in his eyes that he won't die until he's accomplished certain things, much like the rest of his clan"

Bjorn got up and opened a portal as Yang glared at him "Where are you off to?" Bjorn looked at him "maybe you are right, but it takes more than if you're a weakling or a champion to prove yourself enough to be a Ghoul Lord and Bjorn has business to attend to." He stepped through the portal and disappeared, leaving Yang fuming "Kami doesn't want to destroy this city, it's the only and closest this he has ever had to a home...he just didn't like the feeling of confinement here" he finally said with a sad expression as he went back inside, leaving the other remaining Ghoul Lord beside Bjorn an J'onn with more questions than answers.

* * *

**A/N - Yang believes that Kami's banishment only made him more powerful, while J'onn and Taro make their way to where Bane is trying to kill Kami and vice-versa but can they make it in time before he kills Scar and Bane?**

* * *

**A man walks through the city, one of the few residents not happy about Kami's banishment as he swore vengeance against both him and J'onn. He is Roku Mitarashi and was formally the head of the Hunters before being replaced by Scar and Yamamoto.**

**He was standing at Bjorn's height with white hair and dazzling silver eyes wearing baggy pants with many pockets and an armless vest all consisting of black.**

**This however, isn't his most remarkable trait since his freedom from the Crypt, his right arm was...the last time he'd tried to assassinate J'onn and Kami, after he woke from his coma, he almost succeeded, that is until he noticed Kami was no longer going to stand for these attempts on their lives and used Amaterasu to take more than a little off when he severed his right arm completely...like humans, although Ghouls can heal any ingury like it was a flesh wound, they are unable to regenerate lost limbs on their own without a Ghoul trained specially in healing magic to either regrow the lost limb or rejoin the limb that was severed from the body as he looked up to see what looked like a shooting star in broad daylight but he knew was J'onn going to help Bane with Taro in tow.**

His journey to regain his arm led him to learn that his family was heir to some powerful ancient magic, reformation magic that was similar to healing magic but also far different as he doesn't have the ability to use any of the six element of magic that consisted of fire, water, earth, wind, light (which included lightning) or darkness (which included opening dimensional gateways, creating seals and manipulating one's own shadow)

"I wonder if he's going to that Bane fella..." Mitarashi wondered as he disappeared over the roof tops to follow J'onn "I heard he was the Ghoul Lords' new favorite."

**His namesake right arm came into light showing rugged and sharp edges of glass as his fingers were replaced by razor sharp talon like claws dragging against windows, shredding them like paper and absorbing them into his arm before following J'onn...he'd also come to hear about Bane and chose not to believe Kami's obvious lie that he was his son but they've never met face to face until now.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 29**

**The Ghoul Lords were in a pub in the city...it was empty other than them and the bartender and only hard alcoholics among them were Ryujin and Bjorn, who were anything but calm or drinking at the moment**

Kami was out there and they'd just sent his primary target, Bane out on a hunt with some useless Hunters that would be merely stepping stones for the former Ghoul Lord with a vengeance "Bane's out there and we're sitting in a bar?" His eyes flashed dangerously at Bjorn as the only sign of his volcanic anger was that the untouched ale before him was literally boiling, the ice having long melted until the alcohol was evaporating.

"This place is dreadful and lifeless" Tsu Chen groaned as Briarios grumbled in agreement "I second that, milady"

"Bjorn isn't enjoying this any more than you are...just thought we needed a break" Bjorn said as Bartalos snarled "you thought wrong...seems I've found something quite interesting about our friends Azazel and Bane"

Ryujin bared his teeth "spit it out before I make you swallow a mug" he warned and they knew that in the mood he was. in, he'd do it.

"Bane has another power...a power he shouldn't have" Bjorn said "a power he should never have had in the first place and passes to anyone who should kill him...no Ghoul has it, which is why Kami was trying to control him but he knows not what he meddles with"

"What's this power I'm assuming Kami already knows about why he was so adamant to torment him" Briarios asks, suddenly even more interested as Bjorn says "the power to enter one's dreams...this shouldn't affect us Ghouls, due to our lack of the need for sleep altogether but there's no telling the full extent of this power as he has no clue he even possesses it."

"That says it all then..." Ryujin said getting to his feet "I am going to deal with Kami personally"

"That should not be necessary yet" Bjorn blocked Ryujin's way as he smiled darkly and tilted his head, his blue eyes turning sadistic "Bjorn-san, you already have one angry Kurosaki to deal with, and barely at that, pray you don't get another if you don't get out of my way" he kept one hand on one of his swords, his thumb pushing it up from it's scabbard slightly enough to show the blade, which turned out to look like it was stone and lava for a second, a sort of magic ebbing from it suddenly as Bjorn stepped outside without a word.

Bartalos noted Bjorn's strange behavior but Ryujin didn't give a damn at all as he walked out "I'm out of here, my self-imposed retirement is officially over"

Once outside, the two confront each other in private "You knew about this, didn't you?" Ryujin asks as Bjorn only nods "you saw this coming, this unavoidable reunion with Bane and Kami and made them both feel there was no other way"

"Even Kami is unaware...which wasn't easy" Bjorn said "but it was all a test of their mettle, mostly Kami's"

"You did this knowing they were likely to kill each other?!" Ryujin was shaking but not with anger this time, he felt betrayed "You need to stop doing things on your own foolishly like this...either Bane or Kami dies in this 'experiment' of yours and you won't like our next private talk like this" he warned as Bjorn's head fell but a sadistic grin was on his face "Who says you aren't a part of this as well...Bjorn has contingencies in case you do decide the have to fight"

"Remember the last time you tested my blade with your 'contingencies' didn't go well and we nearly killed each other?" Ryujin circled Bjorn like a bird of prey "I want to prove something for an experiment of my own, that you're more powerful than I am...we may be comrades but we aren't acquaintances, let alone friends"

"You're saying that we are only doing this because your son is concerned?" Bjorn asks "Bjorn cares nothing for which of us, any of us, is the strongest...strength can only get you so far" he warned, clearly not concerned with if he's stronger than Ryujin or not.

Briarios suddenly got in Ryujin's way "Is this really necessary?" Ryujin remained silent, snarling at his touch as Bartalos, no happier than anyone else about them manipulating each other growled "just remember, you may be a Godfather when it comes to manipulating dimension but people are different and I, for one, will seal even you within those dimensions of yours if something like this comes to pass again" Bjorn looked at Bartalos challengingly as he narrowed his eyes.

Tsume Chen stood aside, preferring not to get involved as she put a hand to her face and shook her head with a heavy sigh "Men...sexy but stupid" the Ghoul Lords then decide to take off, on their way to Bane

* * *

**Ryujin is about ready to go find and teach Bane and Kami both an unforgettable lesson, even if he has to go through Bjorn and the others to do so, meanwhile back with Bane...since Bane made his own transformation Kami thought he'd go through one of his own, his body completely covered by the flames of Amaterasu, his body as warped as his mind in his anger. Amaterasu was always known to select few as a separate being entirely from Kami altogether and this couldn't make it more true.**

_**"Must...consume" **_Amaterasu influenced-Kami's voice seemed warped in the demonic form he was in _**"must destroy...must kill Bane and everything else!"**_

"Oh, no...oh shit" Scar had never seen this side of Kami before and to be honest, wished he hadn't as a stream of flames were sent at him but red flames got in the way, both extinguishing each other "Bane, let's get out of here!"

Bane was not doing that though and nothing in his body was telling him to run either as he stood up to the man who torments him "No...if I run now, I'll always be running"

Kami stretches his black flame arms at Bane with a distant punch, but his rotation spell deflected it as Kami's eyes widens and he returns to human, not seeing the sense of attacking Bane with an ineffective attack as he jumped into the air with great speed "I'll break every bone in your body!" Bane managed to block the first punch, but Kami sweeped his feet and kicked him bodily off the ground with no pressure before another punch buried him in the earth.

Kami then stepped on Bane's throat, slowly applying pressure as he smiled evilly "Too bad, so sad...I thought this was one of your students that could actually help you exact your revenge on me, Scar-sensei..." Kami's mocking grin grew almost too big for his face as he applied more pressure on Bane's throat as he clawed into his skin. He also was trying to stay in control as Amaterasu itself was trying to overshadow him and even with the second strongest will of all the Ghoul Lords but Bjorn Tartaron himself, he was still inwardly struggling.

"You monster...I always heard that everyone looked up to you as a great and wise teacher, an equally revered warrior" Scar said "I looked up to you so much that I started training other young Ghouls just like you did until I saw for myself that all those things were wrong."

"They weren't wrong..." Kami looked at Bane sadly as his expression quickly turned back to sick pleasure "though I fear that part of me isn't around anymore, J'onn can atone for that. Hn?"

"I can atone for what?" Kami heard J'onn as he jumped back seconds before lightning struck right where he was standing as J'onn stepped out of the forest with Taro at his side as Kami smiled "Ah, right on time for once...Did you really think I wouldn't figure out that you were watching me...watching Bane without anyone's knowledge?"

"Quite intelligent and perceptive of you, Kuro" J'onn smiled "but if you think Asakura is leaving here with you, you're mistaken"

"You..." Scar looked at Taro suspiciously as he dragged him to his feet "What are you doing here?"

"Saving your asses, nii-san" Taro scowled at him as he went to Bane's side but Kami sent Amaterasu after him growling "Back off, jail bird" but he wasn't one to give up easily as he squared up to fight the flames and Kami if he had to as he said with disdain "Here I thought you were actually a better Ghoul Lord than J'onn...boy was I mistaken"

Kami was then engaged by J'onn in hand to hand combat "Kami, you'll pay for what you've done" Kami dodged punches and kicks and replied "When you come clean, so will I, my former weakling of a master!"

"What have you been hiding from us all?!" Kami snarled as he retaliated and J'onn replied "Nothing..." as Kami became angered quickly "Bullshit, come clean!"

Kami sent streams of flame at J'onn who expertly dodged them "You still have much to learn, Kuro, especially that Dragons aren't afraid of flames!"

"Neither do demons, but the student will teach the master to beware of even these flames" Kami said as he brought Amaterasu out again and instead of feeling weakened by this, he was strengthened by his hatred and anger, which in turn fed the black flames and made them far stronger.

**Roku Mitarashi was in a tree, a few metres away from the feuding Ghoul Lord and former Ghoul Lord, he was far enough that they wouldn't take notice of him but close enough that he could see and hear them, hell the whole forest could probably hear them. He could also sense the other Ghoul Lords would be joining them soon, which meant he had to be more patient than rash, seeing that none of them were in the mood for a surprise but in the mood to kill, he certainly did not want his presence to be known yet.**

"Asakura, eh?" Roku said calmly, as he listened to the Dragon and Demon Ghoul Lords argue over sentimental things like the formally great relationship and friendship they once had...these things were of little interest to Mitarashi but he would agree with J'onn over Kami as he burned his arm off without mercy when he enraged him too far, which was almost impossible to do in those days and insulted him about his lack of knowledge of nearly every family and clan but his own...the resulting fight, although it left Kami in deep depression, also left Roku as a bleeding heap on the floor of J'onn's home, one arm less while screaming explicit death threats at Kami...it surprised everyone, even Kami himself that he had become this cruel but if Mitarashi would've kept his mouth shut about the personal life of Kami, of all people, he probably only be badly beaten by his bodyguards and never would've seen firsthand that pushing Kami's already intense emotions too far was already a bad, not to mention very stupid idea as he continued to himself "Why does he remind me of a Hiachi Clan member though?" He pondered on Bane's astounding resemblance to Yang, his father.

* * *

**Speaking of Yang, he was meditating in the forest...his favorite place to be when he wanted to be away from other Ghouls and all alone where he found the ruins of what seemed to be a castle, destroyed during the Binge War in his youth and went to meditate at it's highest, quietest point. That was when he heard voices of people arguing and complaining as the Ghoul Lord came into view, though they couldn't find or see him if they tried and they seemed adamant to get somewhere...Yang was also wondering why Azazel was appearing and disappearing so much, even though he couldn't trust him any more than the Ghoul Lords.**

_'Azazel...where the fuck did he just go off to?' _Yang thought as he sat on the edge of a building to meditate, he always confused Kami why he liked meditating at staggering heights - the higher, the better - and on dangerous edges as a sound he's been trying to evade for the longest while was irritating the already irritable Ghoul "Wait, why are _they_ here?" He said to himself as he saw the Ghoul Lords appear walking among the trees and arguing their personal ideals with each other and about Bane, except Tsu Chen who only scoffed and repeated 'men' for about the sixtieth time this evening.

Yang watched them closely as he felt he needed to get closer, avoiding the sharp eyes of Braiarios and Bjorn in particular, to hear more _'What are they up to?' _He thought and though he heard Bjorn reply to that in his head _'Shut up already...' _He found them arguing rather annoying right now.

He also had a feeling that Kami was nearby, but knew he would disapprove of Yang protecting him as one of his many teachings came to mind

* * *

_**'If you had a choice, you would do everything in your power to save me, but all I want is you to use your power only to save yourself...it would be a shame to have you wasting your own life just to protect my insignificant existence, I won't forgive you if you devote your life to protecting my own, Yang...but protect those most important to you and fight for your place in this world...just like your master did...I am proud, regardless of you future choices, to have called you my student and would rather die by your hand...Hiachi Yang'**_

* * *

Yang closed his eyes as the tears came at the sound of the old Kami's voice in his mind as he whispered "Forgive me, master...but I have found someone to protect, my wife and son with you being the only thing missing in this family of mine" he saw Bjorn open a portal and the Ghoul Lords shuffle in one by one, with Bjorn being the last.

Yang took off as Ryujin and Bjorn disappeared and jumped into the portal before it closed completely.

* * *

**Back with Bane, he watched as Kami and J'onn were at each other's throats...he wanted it to stop, but the display of rage they showed made him have second and third thoughts about intervening or getting in their way. He saw it as his time to either get away or surprise Kami...and getting away wasn't something he was sure Kami would even let him do.**

"I will no longer allow you to tarnish my name, Kami" J'onn said darkly as he glared at Kami, a glare that had put him in his place several times when he was young as he replied "I only see it as a just reward for what you did to me, I can tell though that although you now bare hatred for me, you still don't have it in you to kill me"

"Don't bet on that..." J'onn kicked Kami across his mouth, making him bleed but he still somehow smiled at his old master "If you meant to kill me as you claim...you'd have done it by now, unless..." He frowned looking behind the Ghoul Lord at Bane.

"You're right" J'onn laughed halfheartedly turning his head at Bane as well "if I were destined to kill you or end your reign of terror, we'd both be already dead...I won't be able to live with the fact that I was the one to murder you despite the fact that I won't ever forgive you for what you've done."

"You can't put him through this...I won't let you, J'onn" Scar said keeping Bane behind him as J'onn shooting him a glare said enough as he replied "I won't have to do anything..."

"I won't let you get away with what you've done" Bane said Kami smiled coldly "What I've done...you have neither the conviction nor the skill or bravery to kill me either, letting him manipulate you will come back to bite you later on weather you believe me or not...you don't have it in you to kill anyone anyway"

**Suddenly, a portal opened and a rush of wind came out, sending Kami flying back...Yang appearing with his foot on Kami's chest before the Ghoul Lords could even make it out of said portal.**

"Kami..." A portal opened not far away and a blade of Wind came straight at Kami, who crossed his arms and physically blocked it as he growled as Yang came out "Tell me...am I worthy enough to kill you, Kami-sama?"

"Yang..." Kami growled as the other Ghoul Lords appeared "Only thing you've managed to do is get in my way, you failure...by the time I'm through with you, you won't be able to lift a finger to kill anyone"

"Don't do anything rash, stupid" Briarios gave a rather useful warning "your...former master is not going to yield just because you're his student."

"I don't care anymore" Yang became Yin and charged as Kami raised his hand "Kami!"

"Burn!" Kami snarled raining down fire on everyone as Yin deflected anything that got in his way as the Ghoul Lords defended the others...Bjorn raising a few portals, Ryujin parrying with his own Fire Magic and his kenjutsu skills etc.

Yang grabbed hold of Kami, the other thinking he was being sentimentally hugged again but Yang's grip grew monstrously tighter as Kami snarled at the tears in his former student's eyes "There are some things I just can't forgive anymore."

"Naïve little-" Kami was cut as Yin spun into the air with him still in his firm bear hug, before coming back down fast head first to the ground to the shocking sound of Kami's neck literally snapping loudly as Yin jumped out of the crater he left Kami in, watching as the rest of his body went limp.

"It's over...finally" J'onn fell to his knees, emotionally exhausted but none of them saw that Kami survived Yin's mid-air suplex just barely with the bones in the upper half of his body broken including his neck, skull and both shoulders.

"Nice" Yang heard Kami's voice as he stumbled out of the crater and snapped his shoulders, then his neck back into place "but you'd have to do much better than that to kill this Demon"

**Yang turned around but Kami was inches from him in a second with a hard punch. Roku Mitarashi has had enough of watching and waiting as even his glass arm reacted both to his wild emotions and the strong magic in the air.**

"Enough of this...Kami must...DIE!" Mitarashi yelled as he shot sharp shards of glass at Kami, they were imbued with his own dark magic to kill anything but Kami saw it coming as he caught one shard and threw it back deflecting two and melted others with a heat wave.

Mitarashi flew out of the tree in an absolute rage, his arm now sharp and barbed "Die!" He charged insanely as Bane got in the way to protect Kami but was thrown aside by Roku's good arm like trash as he jabbed and slashed at Kami, missing by inches each time.

"He's still alive..." Yang commented narrowing his eyes on Roku, who was also raised by Kami but came to the city just before he did as an assassin to kill the Ghoul Lord but failed out of a fear of J'onn that came over him...

Yang didn't know about what happened between him and Kami but somehow felt it had to do with his strange right arm "Mitarashi, stop!" He stopped at Yang's voice and turned to him slowly "Yang?" He raised his arm, his eyes white with rage filled tears "Stay out of this!" He shot shards of glass at anyone that dared to get near him as Yang used his Wind magic to defend himself.

Bane was writhing in agony again as his head started throbbing as he tried to meditate again, which seemed to do wonders for the pain and reduced it to a slight pain. Kami smiled wickedly at this...apparently, he was the one causing the migraines the more Bane tried to suppress the part of Kami's consciousness that was in him trying to take over as Mitarashi managed to chase Kami off for now.

"This isn't over, Bane Asakura...Yang." Kami disappeared into the forest as Mitarashi turned his stare to the other Ghoul Lords venomously for them to try him.

**Bjorn looked at J'onn with distrust as he and the other Ghoul Lords left through portals as Yang tried to get closer to the motionless, positively pissed Mitarashi without being cut to ribbons. J'onn departed as well with Taro but Mitarashi refused to move, trembling as he fell to his knees, holding the shoulder of his glass arm with his good hand as he broke down. The glass arm reverted to a normal hand as well as he sobbed, he was far from done with Kami.**

"Mitarashi-san..." Yang felt the man shiver at his touch "What happened to you...?"

"Kami's right...you have grown naïve, little brother..." Mitarashi said after a moment of silence, Yang wasn't his brother by birth but he felt as they were as they were both raised by Kami and he always acted as the younger man's guardian, due to both having little memory of their real families.

"Nonsense..." Yang flicked the man on the forehead as he retaliated by using his glass arm, which Yang noticed could change colour and was never actually clear, to sweep his feet from under him _'Soredemo itsumo no yō ni, furuku kara no yūjin o okurasemasu' _(Still slow as always, old friend)

"Why does the boy have your eyes?" Mitarashi looked at Bane over his shoulder, his anger fading and noticed Bane's eyes glued to his right arm as Yang chuckled a bit "He's my son...Bane"

"I'll be the judge of that, if he has the same tendencies as you do" he looked at Yang then back to Bane who said, still gawking at his arm "unbelievable..."

"Come see for yourself" he gestured for Bane to come to him and glared at him when he almost took a step back "he sure inherited your stubborn attitude...get over here now, kid!"

"Don't worry...do as he says and he shouldn't try to harm you...probably" Scar said as Bane scowled "Probably, with an arm that can cut you up in a hundred different ways?" Bane shivered at the thought "coupled with those...violent tendencies, I don't think so"

Bane turned to leave but Mitarashi was even faster than Yang, getting around him soundlessly "You're not going anywhere" he stuck his bladed arm in the ground where Bane's next step would be as he fell on his butt "How did you-?"

"I was trained as an assassin since your age...I can kill you before you even know I'm there" Roku said extending his normal hand to shake Bane's "Roku Mitarashi's my name...you are?"

"I don't trust you" Bane said as Mitarashi's eyes hardened "I wouldn't recommend that, unless you want to die a slow and painful death, I tried to kill Kami and Lebeau resulting in..." He looked at his right arm "Kurosaki burned my arm clean off and would've left me to bleed to death if J'onn hadn't personally thrown me in a cell in the Crypt for years to suffer instead of helping me, never trusted those two after that. Got out on very good behaviour and because a man who was the head of a Clan wanted to see me...saying I was of relation to them, turned out to be true, I fought and learned Dark Magic on my own...even got word of your disagreement with the old man" he looked at Yang

"I eventually restored my arm to this and travelled around until cruel fate drew me back here where I heard you'd disappeared after Kami took a liking to burning people in the fucking face and hurting his own people in order to protect them...your turn, brat" he looked at Scar behind him then Yang before settling on Bane, never moving his hand from where he'd shake Bane's

"Bane Asakura...I still don't trust you" Bane said defiently as Mitarashi bit at him then licked his face with his snake like tongue "Defiant, stubborn and has a fued with Kami, I like you already...you must be the one everyone's chattering about who banished Kami...yer name...Asakura?" He raised an eyebrow at Yang "His mother a human or something, he smells scrumptious but tastes like horse crap"

"Well, he hasn't learned to hunt yet, so..." Scar trailed off rolling his eyes as Roku said in his deep voice "So I'll be joining you, don't disappoint me"

"I'll head back to the city..." Yang said "your mother's worried sick and I need some answers from J'onn concerning Kami" Yang took off with determination concealing the anger in his eyes.

**Bane, Scar, Roku and a few other Hunters that weren't taken out by Kami made their way to the town Bane once called home. Roku was the first to kill four humans in a row as Bane watched and shivered.**

"Your turn..." Roku said, a man's neck still firmly in his mouth as Bane was about to run away, teary eyed "I can't do this..."

Roku caught him, grabbed by the face and threw him into a group of people "don't wuss out...after all, I can see it in your eyes" he said hypnotisingly as Bane didn't want to know what he meant "You're hungry until you don't even know what to do with yourself"

**Bane knew he was right and his stomach sounding pissed, the scents the humans gave off to his nose weren't making things any easier and Roku saw he wasn't going to be of much use unless something triggered, gave him a reason to attack instead of standing...well, sitting there like a clueless twit. That was why he hid in the crowd and insulted him until he couldn't take it anymore with information he got about Bane and what Kami did from Scar.**

"Kami's bitch..." Bane heard a voice, not knowing it was Roku baiting him as he glared in that direction "What?" He snapped as a rock came with voice from another direction, colliding with the side of Bane's head "You heard me...you're only around to be used and abused"

"No, I'm not" Bane said as the voice laughed "No? You're a mistake!"

"What are you anyway...a mutant, a Ghoul or a weak little human boy?" Bane still couldn't make out that it was Roku "Ghouls are efficient hunters and even one and clean this backwater town in days, you and even kill in the first place..." Mitarashi laughed loudly at that, as an angry Bane starts killing left and right.

**Scar was on the roof watching it all and even he hadn't spotted Mitarashi once.**

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do to motivate someone as emotionally wrecked as Asakura" the Ghoul with Scar asked as he shrugged "I honestly don't know...but he can't kill unless emotionally triggered right now which is what even Kami knows"

* * *

**In a matter of hours, they were on their way back home with everyone having filled their quotas and commending Bane who somehow had more kills and least skill of any of them. Meanwhile Yang was determined to have a meeting with J'onn if it killed him, though his guards were instructed to have no one interrupt him or visit, especially Yang.**

"State your business" the guard said looking down on a sweating Yang who snapped "My business is with J'onn Lucario Lebeau only, not you, let me through!"

The second guard stopped him "Hey, visiting time is over, little man, we will kill you if you continue this"

**The glare Yang gave him made him remove his hand from Yang's chest as he saw Lebeau behind the guards and a very safe distance from his fury...the Guards were also still paid much more than Hunters and tend to gloat a lot about it why Yang hates them so much.**

J'onn looked over his shoulder at Yang, who narrowed his eyes at him with a dangerous glare "So you're hiding behind morons now, I expected better from a Ghoul more powerful than even my master."

"It's quite a shave you weren't gifted with Tsume's abilities, you'd be able to get in here" J'onn looked at Yang the turned and walked away, not seeing Yang's head fall.

"Hey, we don't take kindly to you calling us idiots, Hunter" the Guard snarled as Yang kept his head down whispering "Tsume's been through so much here and he has the nerve to say her name after doing jack shit nothing to help her without being a goddamn flirt...don't you dare bring her into this, my son and wife are to stay out of this..."

"Hey, we're talking to you here" the other guard grabbed Yang's shoulder causing him to look up with his serious face and violently glowing red eyes as he tore the infidel's head off with his kagune and slapped the other one hard in the face knocking him down and put his foot on the side of face, an evil smile coming on his face.

"Please, spare me" the guard cried as J'onn turned to face him as he put his mask of the Fox on and the man's eyes widened "A mask?"

Very few people were aware that Yang indeed own a mask, though he almost never wears it and doesn't tell people or deny that he owns one as J'onn continued walking and Yang grabbed his head "Now why would I do that?"

**As soon as J'onn heard the violent snapping of bones as Yang broke the Guard's neck then quickly severed his head, he began running. Yang was after him, angry and snarling and he really didn't care how many guards he had to go through before J'onn gave him answers.**

J'onn went into his office and tried to seal it shut but Yang reduced it to splinters and pinned J'onn on his desk "You...you used Kami, used the rest of us and have the nerve to think I'd allow you to use my family against me?!" Yang missed his head with his kagune tails "I don't think so, I'll make you either stop or fight me"

"So you're saying Kami's innocent for what he did to your wife and son?" J'onn asked as Yang snapped "No, I'm saying even Bane isn't stupid enough to not see that you had all the power to stop Kami _before_ any of this happened but you're more concerned about if Kami's gonna miraculously change back and stop all this senseless murdering of his own students and kind!"

"Kuro..." J'onn said sadly as Yang punched a hole in his desk "don't you dare call my master by that ridiculous name ever again!"

J'onn swung his hand at Yang's throat but narrowly missed as he jumped back, a second later deep gashes appeared even though J'onn didn't touch him "You're holding back..." Yang noticed very quickly.

"Yes, I am..." J'onn would be happy to use his full strength against Yang "You know, I've always wanted to fight you more than Kami."

Yang narrowed his fiery, glowing red eyes "Then, don't hold back because I won't"

"I could say the same for you" J'onn took his shirt off before activating his Rinkaku from the centre of his back _'The Punisher vous invite'_ (The Punisher beckons you)

_'Panisshā?'_ (The Punisher?) Yang was confused then mad again _'Shinken ni meinu no o henshin musuko o watashi o torimasu!'_ (Take me seriously you eccentric son of a bitch!)

"So be it, if that is what you wish" J'onn pushed Yang hard enough that he went flying out of the house and used his Kagune to stop himself "Fine, I'll use my second Kagune then"

"What?" Yang asks "No one has two Kagune" but J'onn waved a finger "Remember, like Bane, I was born to a mutant father and a Ghoul mother, so there's no telling what I can do" he explained "and my father found out she was a Ghoul before she was pregnant and made her turn him into one as well."

"He managed to get her pregnant, but...he didn't survive after that though, and died" J'onn said as his arm turned into a blade that was lit ablaze by a purple flame as Yang charged "I don't care!"

* * *

**Elsewhere, at the Crypt a group of Ghouls were ready to leave to find any escapees, for the first time led by Shin instead of Yakuzo but Shin didn't even pass the entrance of the door, despite Yakuzo urging him that Kami was no longer in the city, therefore could no longer hurt him. The Hunters were confused, as they never really got this close to the blind man due to his overwhelming distrust of outsiders...they were scared to even talk to him.**

"Uh, sir?" One of the Ghouls looked at Shin, who has yet to step off the metallic floor of the prison and onto the stone paved ground outside, his head down.

He looked back at Yakuzo was, he couldn't see but his ears worked where his eyes couldn't "Go on, I'll be fine here"

"We're burning daylight, need a hand?" One of the Ghouls put a hand out but when he didn't notice, waved in his face which he hates.

Shin swung a bit at his hand as Yakuzo warned "I wouldn't do that again if I were you, he hates that"

"I'm fine, let go of me" he scowled as the Ghouls held his shoulder "I said hands off!" he lifted the two Ghouls with one hand as he stepped out.

Yakuzo facepalmed as he laughed at this plight "Shin-san, you're outside now so I suggest you get while the getting's good."

Shin left with the Ghouls either a pace ahead of him or behind him as he grumbled "I think I'll pay Bane a visit before coming back..." He smiled wide, something the other Ghouls had never seen though they even thought he didn't have teeth either.

* * *

**A/N - Yang confronts J'onn, while Bane finishes up hunting with the Ghouls thanks to Yang's childhood friend Roku Mitarashi, but now that Yakuzo has been persuaded by Shin to have him leave the Crypt to find their escapee, what will his impression of the outside world and Bane's life be? R&amp;R and find out!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 30**

**Shin and the Ghouls moved fast through the forest and all, except Shin, felt that they were being watched. Shin knew they were being watched, more like observed than followed as he was far behind the others but stopped dead in his tracks, his blank eyes wide.**

'That scent...that monster' he thought, having never forgotten a scent since he lost his sight and wasn't in the mood to beat around the bush "Come out, Kurosaki"

The other Ghouls were ironically unnerved by Shin until one of them noticed he'd stopped "Hey, Shin-san, something wrong?"

"Shut up and don't move" Shin ordered as he closed his eyes and took another deep breath through his nose, his sense of smell can pick Kami out from a three and a half to a four mile away radius, three times further than regular Ghoul can. Kami was much closer than that though, he can tell.

"Is something here that we can't sense?" Another Hunter asked as another just realized "Did he say something about Kurosaki?"

Eventually, his internal motion tracker no longer picked up the distant movement and he gave the OK to keep moving as he bolted ahead and almost left them behind without another word "Hey, wait up!" The went after him.

**Once they were gone, Kami indeed walked out from behind a tree, clearly he was almost found by Shin, who knew who and where he was but he rarely can pick the former Ghoul Lord up if he isn't moving.**

_'So, he's still alive huh?'_ Kami thought to himself _'Oh, well...he can be dealt with another time'_ Kami went about his business with a dark smile "I can't miss watching Bane tear J'onn limb from limb now" he thinks he influenced Bane, but little did he know what he would find.

* * *

**Elsewhere, Bane was finished hunting and decided to say a prayer for the dead, little did he know Mitarashi was still watching him.**

"What are you doing?" Mitarashi chuckled coming up behind Bane, who was unnerved with him for tricking him like he did and ignoring him though he didn't care "Let's head back, they're in a better place..." Roku turned his back but regarded Bane with a proud smirk.

"Right..." Bane said as the two took as much as they could carry, seeing as Scar and the remainder of the other hunters took the majority and caught up to Scar and the others, who'd left before they did.

"I get the feeling Yang's taken Kami's words too much to heart and gone to doing something stupid..." Scar said looking a bit down "I hope he hasn't, but he seemed quite distraught about what Kami said when he left."

"Really, even as children...I've yet to see him this angry" Roku said "not counting the day I lost my arm and almost my life to Kami, he tried to eat me that time and he detests Binge Eaters"

Bane was relatively silent, but didn't feel weird like before with the Hunters as they picked up Yamamoto on the way.

"I have good news, depending on how you take it, bad news and horrible news" Yamamoto said with slight anxiety as Roku raised an eyebrow "What are ya, a reporter or somethin'?"

"Ignore him, what's the bad and horrible news?" Bane snapped suddenly, tired of three grown men arguing like toddlers as Yamamoto continued "Bad news, Yang and J'onn are currently trying to kill each other with Kami and...something en-route to them"

"You sent someone to follow Kami, I assume?" Scar smiled as Yamamoto replied "yes, that's how I found out and I still don't know what else is on it's way to Yang decides Kami, horrible news is that someone left the Crypt with a search party, a big, blind but seemingly still dangerous proctor at the prison...they're looking for your brother but the good news is that I managed to save the Hunters Kami tried to kill and he gave me something useful"

"Which is?" Mitarashi growled as he continued "he may know who Kami's targets are...ghouls that once worked for him, even if they'd quit before this entire debacle even began."

"How is that good news?" Bane asked "Father was pretty pissed off, even I know that and he's been ignoring my existence my whole life up until I became a Ghoul due to his stupidity."

* * *

**Everyone was stunned by this fact but chose not to ask yet, since it was Bane's personal business as they noticed that they were being followed but no one could tell that it was Azazel, elsewhere with J'onn and Yang...J'onn was currently hiding from the very unpredictably violent Yin, who was screaming threats of what he'd do to him when he found him and Kami wasn't far...or alone as he'd soon find out.**

"Come out, traitor!" Yang walked soundlessly and as stealthy as he looked in the direction of every sound, in case it was J'onn who was trying to find an exit as he replies "You beheaded my bodyguards, of course, they're expendable, replaceable and not all of them are too intelligent to begin with but such cruelty isn't necessary."

"I'll show you some cruelty!" Yin closed his eyes and focused to see every exit in his mind before sending a rush of Wind to either push or pull them shut and seal them tight "Kami's not your child, you will give me answers to my satisfaction." Yin warned as J'onn commented "I still don't understand what specifically is your point of doing this...but" J'onn decided to say no more, causing a rampage inside the building "I don't owe you any answers...what makes you think I'm the only one manipulating Kami as we speak?" J'onn asked "What makes you think you and I aren't being manipulated, after all, with the strongest threat, Kami, gone...we're the biggest threats now, together or separately"

Yin walked past a large, old standing mirror, a minute later, J'onn walked by as well inside the mirror...causing Yin to pace back, checking his reflection in the absolutely normal reflection, he can see and speak to Yang sometimes through mirrors as he walked out of the mirror's view but came back to see his reflection was J'onn as his hand phased out quickly and grabbed Yin's face before running him through with his bladed arm as Yin used his tails to enter the mirror and stab J'onn as well as he tried to drag him out before he was dragged in.

**Yin began generating powerful and sharp winds, one thing that made him more dangerous than J'onn was his not only sometimes uncontrollable anger, but the power that comes with it and that he can shred an enemy to ribbons without even touching them, Kami didn't have to get far before he heard the commotion inside but felt like he was being watched, a feeling he doesn't like.**

_'Yoku mā, watashitachi was koko ni jibun ga arimasu ka?'_ (Well well, what do we have ourselves here?) Kami chuckled madly as he listened to what was going on _'Anata ga solo no dandō tsumorida, Bein wa...Ima J'onn o koroshimasu'_ (You're going ballistic in there, Bane...now kill J'onn)

**Kami's eyes, like all Ghouls, were so acute that he could focus through the smallest cracks in walls even from a distance and he saw J'onn walk past, holding someone by the neck tightly, focussing better he saw that it was not Bane that was about to die, but Yang (who reverted to his original personality as opposed to Yin's).**

"No, Yang...you persistent fool" Kami growled under his breath, but it seems while J'onn didn't hear him, Yang clearly did and smiled at the fact that he'd done something that earned death by the headless Ghouls dressed as bodyguards laying around by the hundreds as Kami was filled with enough anger that even he couldn't fully restrain.

"No" Kami seethed, as he sweated but it was quickly evaporated by how hot his body was and still increasing in temperature "I'm the one to kill you...I won't allow you to die easily by anyone's hand, it's my job to do as your former master"

Kami was ready to smash the wall to bits and punish the two for fouling up his plans but a voice stopped him, the voice of Azazel "I wouldn't do that if I were you..."

Kami turned to face what looked like the Demon Lord, regarding him with a look of pure wrath that even he didn't want to get in the way of "Demon Lord!" Kami closed the distance between them in seconds, his fist smashing a rock that was behind 'Azazel' to pebbles as he remembered Azazel's scent...he smelled strongly like death, sulphur and Brimstone...now he smelled nothing like those things and Kami was always one to do his home work on things he was interested in, even if it was only for the sole reason of killing it.

"How about you get lost and find me real Azazel?" Kami growled, glaring at the demon that was now behind him as it kicked him across the face hard. That knocked Kami down hard a distance away from the building, only maddening him further in the process.

"Quite a surprise that you've seen though my guise so easily, but I think I can keep this form up at least a little longer to teach you not to use milord's name so loosely" the demon in Azazel's form growled "I am Astros...unworthy creature"

"Begone...you serve no purpose more than to annoy me and as you can see, I'm rather...murderous right about now" Kami caught the foot coming to his face with one hand, his body now changing color from the now very noticable rise in the already heated temperature was going to happen "besides, I've already proven to be more than a match for your master already"

Kami slams Astros on the ground hard as the demon's voice turned mechanical and he was thrown aside "Go away!" He continued to the door but a white light flashed as Astros turned to his true form, a humanoid demon skeleton of a demon, small horns and all, with vampire-like fangs as he lunged at Kami from behind, biting him in the back of his neck, eliciting a growl from the former Ghoul Lord who crushed the creature's ribs with a stomp, seemingly killing it.

The next white light and Kami heard a voice that seemed to sadden him for a moment...as the shape shifting demon turned into him, but copied more than his appearance and abilities as the bite wound, despite already healed began burning.

"It's been a while since I've aquisitioned a body this powerful" the other Kami rose to his feet, but Kami's eyes widened, as all he saw in the other Kami's orange eyes was his former self, nicknamed Kuro by J'onn and a select few friends who Kami alone allowed to use the name.

"You didn't think I was gone now, did you, Kami-san?" Kuro said clashing hands with his dark side, Kuro's personality was too strong for the creature to control and overpowered it rather quickly and easily "It's been so long...now that you've had your run, I want my body back!"

"Go ahead and try taking it back" Kami snarled, his eyes wide "the strong must never be under the boot of the weak"

* * *

**Both their eyes began glowing black as they traded blows, a burst of flame coming with each. Elsewhere, Shin is currently tracking Bane's every move...he knew a few things already, like he's just returned from his first hunt and was probably bothered a bit that he had to kill humans, having once been human himself.**

"I am one with the darkness..." Shin closed his eyes as they jumped through the trees as one of the Ghouls looked cautious "Hey, you wanna crash or something?" Shin paid him or the trees no mind though as another commented "He can't see anyway, so what'd be the point?"

They made it to where Bane was at the end of the Hunt (hours after Bane left) and Shin's expression brightened slightly "I think we'll find our missing prisoner this way"

"No offense, Shin-sama but this feels like the blind leading the blind a bit here..." One of the Ghouls sighed as Shin replied, tolerant of these idiots for now...even if he had a bit of a extremely loose tongue sometimes "More like the blind leading the mentally retarded...no offense"

"So...we did catch up to the new guy" one of the Ghouls said finally catching Bane's scent as Shin frowned as he smelled a human as well...a still alive human that gave the Hunters a persistent chase all the way back to the city.

The Ghouls wore murderous expressions, never would they believe that a human would try to get into their city seeking vengeance for someone who became a Ghoul's next meal and it seems to be hapenning more and more recently since Kami's banishment and defection from the Ghouls...the former Ghoul Lord was selling information about the city and Ghouls to the humans in order to spark a Ghoul/Human War with the GEC, Shin had an idea that if this was the case though, it would be a diversion for Kami's own personal plan.

"I'll tear that human apart, watch me..." One of the men said as Shin rose his arm in his way "I'll handle them all myself, she isn't alone...being hunted by her own kind"

**The Ghouls seemed to feel bad that, not only did Shin want to kill these humans himself but they weren't to interfere.**

"Don't get killed...we'll be watching" a Ghoul was hesitant at first to touch Shin's shoulder but did anyway as he nodded and grinned "Do not worry, I can take care of myself and it's about to get a bit darker...don't wait for me" Shin raised his hand as the forest indeed became much darker "Darkness Envelope"

The woman stopped and looked around "Come out, Demons!" She was anguished and it knowingly or not drew her closer to the Ghoul City, which even then won't be easy for her to enter, let alone leave alive as her persuers came out, about to kill her until Shin came out of the darkness behind them "Beware, humans...only dispair will greet your kind here" his already creepy voice whispered as they swung their weapon at him but hit nothing but dark smoke as he appeared behind her and touched her, now he can find her anywhere she goes.

She swung around and stabbed him in the chest and twisted the blade as his expression mirrored one of a dying Ghoul as he grinned darkly "Just kidding..." As the men stepped back in fear turned to horror

**The Hunters were a distance away but not far enough to hear a myriad of screams that rattled their bones, now they moved faster...they didn't know for sure if Shin was a Binge Eater like some of them but all the knew was that there was something dark and dangerous about him that they'd rather not be around to find out and were glad they followed the order not to wait for him. Elsewhere, Bane had made it back to the city and was quite uneasy with Azazel and where he'd been all this time.**

"Where the hell have you been?" Bane looked ready to throw up as he glared at the Demon Lord "do you know what I had to go through with you gone?!"

"I had business elsewhere...my wife somehow crossed dimensions into this world and landed right in Kami's house, his bed to be exact literally before he left the city, I had to take her back to one of my...less chaotic...dimensions to stay" Azazel said simply "Kami did not find out luckily...you seem to have been busy"

Bane scowled "I think I'm going to be sick..." He muttered, not admitting that Kami's words did upset him and give him questions he couldn't even answer, but the Ghoul Lords' banquet was about to begin.

Bane looked at Azazel "You participating in the banquet?" He asked "I heard it was among the best any Ghoul Lord could keep."

"Not if it were the last banquet on this planet" Azazel said with an angry look and oddly, no sarcasm, which Bane wasn't even remotely scared of "I have a proposition for you...but after your little gena sequoia with your Ghoul Lords"

**Bane nodded and left, using a route he was unfamiliar with as opposed to the one most filled with Ghouls that he was used to now. He wanted to know both the light and dark sides to this enchanting and equally dangerous city.**

Bane noticed the alley he was in grew slightly darker as he walked down the quiet road, he was certain that he was being watched though, even though he was more worried about being lost...the Binge Eaters may be indebted to him but that may not stop one from attacking him like before as he heard quiet snickering around him.

"Hello..." Bane called out but got no answer as he backed into a darker alley, only to be punched back out "Watch it, brat!" a man snapped as Bane snarled back "You watch it."

The walked out barely _'Sumātoroba wa, machi, kodomo no kono bubun de korosa remasu'_ (Smart asses get killed in this part of town, kid) the man refused to come into the light as he had a crowbar in hand, imbued with enough magic to pack a very serious punch as he glanced at Bane getting to his feet and bowed in apology, despite not really wanting to "My apologies"

The man slammed the tip of the crowbar on the ground, which felt like an earthquake "Don't think you're getting off that easy" he unclipped his jacket to reveal his merchandise "The name's Sozin and I already know everything about you in detail, so I'll give you something of your choice for free...if you don't know what it is, ask and don't try to outsmart me unless you want your skull cracked open like an egg" he placed the crowbar on his shoulder and winced slightly from the weight.

Bane thought carefully before making his decision as his eyes fell on a glistening white gemstone "What's that?" He asked as Sozin took out the gemstone and inspected it "You've got an eye for precious and high-priced items, I see, kid" he looked at Bane sneaking a look at his crowbar "It's a Light forging stone, used to imbue magic, specifically light or it's higher form, which is harder but more powerful, lightning into a weapon...they exist in every other element and are very hard to come by with a price of several thousand to millions of dollars depending on the stone's size which ranges from a pebble to a boulder" he handed the stone to Bane who put in in his pockets for safekeeping as he saw something else that caught his eye "Interesting...can it be forged into weapons" Sozin nodded "Into weapons like no other...in fact, Kurosaki Ryujin himself bought a Dark counterpart to that same stone from me once, which was my last in stock and forged it into that extraordinary katana of his with a fire gemstone he got elsewhere...don't touch my crowbar, it isn't for sale and touch anything else only if you've got the money upfront or I'll break some bones" Bane withdrew his hand at that "one fact though, those tails of yours are a Ghouls feeding organs...no ghoul on the planet has the same power where that is concerned, not even relatives and a human has 206 bones but a Ghoul can have from two to three times more depending on size, strength and of course, age" Bane shuddered at that and thought Sozin didn't see as he grinned darkly "Get lost, pussy...just so you know, when a Ghoul has a child with a non-Ghoul, the gene from the Ghoul parent is always the most invasive"

"So I was a Ghoul from birth...?" Bane asks as Sozin said "You were born relatively still human with the genes, you barely had any of our strengths and none of our weaknesses and if a Ghoul that isn't a parent or relative bites you, you gain the similar powers of both the Ghoul and your Ghoul parent...I, however, can't be touched by the sun without it burning my rather thin skin, happens to many who only know dark magic" he put his hand out as proof as it was easily burned almost to bone before pulling back "If you need anything from me, come to any dark corner like this in the city, indoor or outdoor...you should be going now, prove your strength to the Ghouls and they're less likely to attack you so much"

"Now you tell me..." Bane muttered as he left as quickly as he could.

* * *

**Sozin disappeared into the shadows as Bane moved fast on his way to the Ghoul Lords. Speaking of the Ghoul Lords, they have lost patience with Bane and set out to find him.**

"I'm sick of waiting...be careful" Ryujin shot Bjorn a look that they had unfinished business as Braiarios replied "You too..." as he and Bartalos set out in one direction...hopefully where Kami was right now and Ryujin went to find Bane, who was still a ways away from Kami.

Bjorn went to J'onn's library, already well aware that he wasn't there with Tsu Chen. Ryujin went towards the entrance of the city, hoping that Kami prays that they don't cross paths as he hoped to see Bane again.

**Just as Ryujin was about to enter a patch of forest, he saw Bane coming out concealing the forging stone to keep it from falling out of his pockets if he were in a fight. His stomach was ferocious upon setting eyes on the young man as he snuck up on him, dropping his sword in his path.**

"What the-?" Bane thought out loud, definite that it was the sword of Ryujin, Kami's father as he went up to inspect the fine blade while he can, hoping its master wasn't around which he usually always was.

Bane touched the sword from the middle of the blade to the hilt, it was surprisingly clean despite the amount of blood it sees with a bloodthirsty master.

Ryujin was mischievous in nature when he wanted to be, as he was already behind Bane and bit his shoulder "Why're ya touching my sword, boy?" Bane jumped away and swung Ryujin's own sword at him "hand it over before I really eat ya, kid"

"Why the hell did you bite me?" Bane snarled swinging at him but Ryujin simply caught the sword with two fingers and growled with a tired look then a grin "Yare yare...you're not hurt, are ya...it was merely a nibble as I didn't even break your skin, whiny twit" he pulled his sword from Bane's hands.

"Come on" Ryujin gestured for Bane to follow him "I fear your father has gone too far this time"

"What's wrong with my father?" Bane asks as Ryujin said "He's gone to doing something stupid...in defence of my son's pride, what is he to my son anyway?"

"He was raised by Kami, as far as I've heard" Bane said "apparently he had a great relationship with him and knew him as a different person, Kami is a different person in his presence...as I've already noticed"

"I hear him call Kami his master while Kami said he raised young Ghouls before coming here...Oto-san must've been one of them" Bane also said

* * *

**With Briarios and Bartalos, they were en-route to Kami, Yang and J'onn...little did they know Azazel had made plans, not only for Kami, but for them as well. They were wondering about Bjorn's argument outside the bar with Ryujin, they also fear that Ryujin wanted to eradicate the other Ghoul Lord especially if they mean to harm his only son and the only family he has left, Kami.**

"I know that look, old friend" Bartalos noticed Braiarios looking at him sternly instead of even caring to watch where he was going "Something troubles you...what is it?"

"When Bjorn and Ryujin were arguing, who did you agree with?" Braiarios asked as Bartalos replied "I can't say, I wish I could agree with both though...as they both make valid points"

"I agree, but I don't trust them...something about them has been bothering me since I got here" Braiarios looked down as his eyes grew cold "sure, Ryujin has been sick of Bjorn manipulating us without our knowing time and time again and I don't know what I'd do in his shoes"

"How did he even figure out what Bjorn was doing?" Bartalos asks "it's like they were trying to match each other in drinking alcohol as well"

"You're guess is as good as mine" Briarios said as he had them both stop "wait, do you feel that malice in the air?"

"We're being followed..." Bartalos looked behind him as Braiarios looked ahead to where they were going "...looks like they're two of them"

"Well well...looks like we've been found out" a man with black hair that had a slightly red tint stepped out, dressed in a pair of jeans and a unbuttoned black shirt with gold embroidery revealing a dragon tattoo on his stomach and a hole going straight through his chest as he squared off with Briarios.

On Bartalos' side, he was shocked to see what was in his way wasn't human at all, but a chimera, a lion with it's tail being a snake with venom dripping from it's mouth "Ooh, new prey...you didn't think Lord Azazel would just _let_ you get to that Kami guy so easily, did you?"

**Suddenly a dark aura surrounded the two Ghoul Lords as Braiarios smiled evilly.**

"I knew this was too easy, but what took you so long?" Braiarios asked cracking his knuckles "we're far from anyone else, which means I'm free to go all out"

"Creature, I'll be taking your venom...all of it for an experiment of my own" Bartalos said as the demon snarled "Only place my venom will be going is into your bloodstream..." the demon said "but I feel generous today, so here's all you want!" The Chimera swung it's snake head spewing acidic and corrosive venom at the Ghoul Lords but the other three evaded and pursued Bartalos who thought _'That venomous saliva will prove to make this fight quite tasking...but interesting all the same'_

The demon pinned Braiarios to a tree by his throat, but he was still smiling sadistically, the demon had his physical strength, it was also slowly turning him to stone as well "I fail to see why one would smile in the face of his death..."

"I met a young man...he was your regular, everyday Ghoul but he wanted to grow powerful enough to stand a chance even against a Demon Lord, so I challenged him and you know what I learned?" Braiarios was completely petrified as his body crumbled but he was still alive "No matter what kind of strength you have, how you use it is what matters"

"Why should I care?" The demon asked as he looked up to barely get away from Braiarios coming down from the air with a punch that reduced the branch to splinters in seconds.

"I told you, didn't I?" Briarios was suddenly behind the demon "You're one of the first people to force me to let loose in a long time, he could've killed me but didn't"

"Get to the point..." The demon said swinging at Braiarios who caught his arm and broke it easily as he replied "The moral of the story is...you're very unlucky to be the focus of my wrath today" The Demon was sent flying the the forest with one hard punch.

**The demon was eventually stopped by a powerful tree as he opened his palm revealing a stone with a magical glow called a Dragonstone.**

"I'll show you power..." The demon raised his hand into the air with the Dragon stone as he transformed into an undead Elder Dragon with holes in his wings which didn't stop it's ability to fly as it opened it's maw "Wretched Blaze" and shot an undead gray flame from it's mouth that petrified anything it touched as Braiarios, now wearing his Mask, dodged replying "For all things that have life there must be death" looking at the blaze decaying everything.

* * *

**With Kami, he and Kuro bounced off each other, but it was clear that although Kami stronger, Kuro wasn't anywhere near giving up.**

"Destroy me, if you'd like...but there someone who is stronger than you are" the two then charged at each other "You can't be possibly talking about Bane, who barely has any control of his power to begin with"

"Hehe, you'll...see soon enough" he said as Kami's hand was through his chest but Kuro's hand touched Kami's forehead with two fingers as it slowly ran down his face and fell, turning back into the Demon with it's death. Kami was left feeling like he'd lost more than he'd won.

"Beware, Azazel" Kami said looking into the forest "I'll be coming for you next" as he pulled a black bladed sword out of the black flames in his hand, ready to crash Yang's fight with J'onn.

* * *

**A/N - Azazel back and the Ghoul Lords face his demons with Bane on his way, will Kami finally manage to eradicate his old master and student before Bane's arrival? R&amp;R and Shin can eat, Kami didn't remove his teeth or something but his blindness is his strength as it heightens all his already heightened senses. R/R**


	31. Chapter 31

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 31**

**A man sat on the forest floor on a dead tree, he had white hair, creepy dark red eyes on grey sclera...he was also covered in stitches, but they were all self made as he was one of the most immortal Ghouls with a total of four beating hearts in his body, hidden by his black cloak. He was known as Kakuzu (Not Kakuzu from Naruto, but similar)...he was a bounty hunter for hire to anyone who paid the most and his clientele, should they try to pull the wool over his eyes and rob him would become his next targets and his maliciously violent and completely uncaring nature was said to match Kami's, even though the two had never met. Bane had a character he was quite intrigued and curious about though.**

Kakuzu was busy counting his money from his latest Bounty, surely he knew that those handling his money were not stupid enough to think that he'd miss even a cent of his cash as he looked above him to a sound as he saw Ryujin Kurosaki pass overhead, Bane not far behind "Interesting..." He said as Bane's eye turned to look at him but he wasn't seen, he knew of Bane due to eavesdropping on some hunters saying he banished Kami, but knew nothing else that he couldn't find out and he'd have to check the local Bounty office to see if there's a worthy enough bounty on Kami's head now, if he was indeed banished. "Very interesting, indeed" his voice was creepily deep, but low and calm as he pocketed his money and followed the two closely.

* * *

**With Bjorn and Tsu Chen, they'd arrived at J'onn's library but no one was there but Tsume, who wasn't in the lightest of moods knowing what Yang has done, Tsujin who was preventing her from leaving after Yang and Chad, who was looking up on any info he found on The One and making sure it was valid and not forged or fake...let's say, he doesn't trust J'onn that much either, no less than Kami.**

"Pipe down, señorita" Chad wasn't watching the annoying twosome "despite your cutesy relationship, I'm busy trying to prevent what could be the end of our kind along with the rest of the world"

"What do you mean by 'the end of the world' here?" Tsujin asks as Chad raises the open book to show them rather than explaining it, which he found to be rather tedious as they probably won't understand.

"But how are we going to stop that...surely, every mortal and immortal alike is in danger if The One decides he wants payback" Tsume said taking a closer look to see the beginning was the Demonite that rained down on Earth when The One was sent to another dimension by the combined efforts of the Kurosaki's, Yang, Bane and the Ghoul Lords

"If there's any way of stopping this, the book doesn't say" Chad said as they heard Bjorn call out "Where's J'onn?"

"Not here, Ghoul Lord" Tsujin growled looking back at Chad "Does it say when The One will return?"

"Not any time soon, but yes" Chad said "and when he does, you won't be around for much longer as he'll wipe out humans, mutants and Ghouls alike...mass extinction in seconds"

"Don't scare people like that" Tsume snapped as Tsu Chen said "Be scared if you wish but this is serious...once only Ghouls exist, the One won't need to do anything...we'll kill ourselves off...due to his presence alone"

Bjorn went outside without another word as he looked at the sky, a light cloud above the city, he was concerned about Ryujin after their argument and felt his determination to kill his son, Kami but he also felt his colleague's pain, despite his best efforts to hide it, Tsujin joined him "Something's bothering you...I know that look from working for Kami."

"The boy's father is a fool...he's emotionally tied to Kami so much that he still sees a side of him that even Kami himself wholeheartedly believes no longer exists"

"You have a weird way of showing that you're concerned about Yang..." Tsujin rose an eyebrow as Bjorn's face became firm "Bjorn is not worried about Yang Hiachi...Kami, Bane and Ryujin are of more concern"

"Wait, you're worried about Kami?" Tsujin said in surprise as Bjorn kept his eyes on the sky, a sorry look on his face "Bjorn fears this is the fault of the Ghoul Lord, especially J'onn's, who has been underestimating his student's and his student's protégé's abilities since their first meeting."

* * *

**While Bjorn feels like he'd insulted Ryujin's prideful nature and made matters worse, Yang and J'onn were almost out of the energy to go on, not even aware that Kami was outside yet, waiting for one to take out the other and to make Yang rue the day he ruined Kami's plan of turning Bane against J'onn, so he could reclaim control over him.**

"I'm sick of waiting...time to end this" Kami growled, dragging his blade through the dust at his feet "Yang, do your master a favor and die now..."

Suddenly Kami stopped and looked behind him "I won't allow you to escape this time, Kami" he saw Bane landing from a leap out of the trees that should've broken his legs as he looked at Kami's eyes "you're not leaving this city _AT ALL_, if I have anything to say about it!"

"Fine, I'll settle for putting you and your big mouth in place right here and now" Kami looked to see Bane standing behind him and scowled. Something was amiss here as Kami knew the sword didn't belong to Bane, who looked more ruthless than their last meeting. He smiled at how ruthless he'd forced Bane to become.

**Bane disappeared, demonstrating a Wind ability that he'd seen Yang develop and demonstrate too many times as he appeared behind the man with a powerful downward slash, but Kami managed to block it without looking...like many of his Clan, Kami was a extraordinary swordsman, blocking attacks he can't even see, but he didn't know Ryujin was here as well.**

"You have neither the skill nor the true intent to kill me" Kami blocks the attack easily as Bane jumps away barely from a counter attack.

Ryujin came out of the shadows, a blank face as he gazed past his son and Bane _'Is this an ongoing cycle...master turning on student and even father...against son?'_ He thought, finally seeing a bit of sadness in Kami's still cold eyes.

Ryujin crashed his way into the building, an abandoned monastary, and crashed through a still intact window as the heat exuding from his body could melt anything that touched his body in his current mood.

**J'onn and Yang were not very hard to find with how explicit they were with one another and Yin's now near uncontrollable rage and pain.**

"I'll show you to take advantage of my family!" Yang sent a powerful gust at J'onn who crossed his arms and braced himself, being pushed back but not thrown a distance as he was intended to, replying "I've taken advantage of nothing and no one...Kami's change was gradual after his body being possessed by The One"

**The mention of Kami and the ominous former King of all Demons seemed to stop Yang from attacking again, but he was far from forgiving J'onn. The mere fact that he was listening was astounding enough for J'onn, but Ryujin wasn't going to let it last.**

"Now that just tears it!" Yang's eyes widen angrily as he and J'onn charge at each other, but stopped when Ryujin's sword landed in the ground between them...

Ryujin walked out of the shadows with a sword in his mouth and another in his other hand.

"Master..." J'onn walked up and tried to touch Ryujin's shoulder but the Ghoul Lord swung a sword at him with a icy glare that his son inherited "Don't 'master' me...I am no longer the master of a disgrace like yourself!" Ryujin's sword didn't touch J'onn, but the force of the swing sent him on his back.

"So...you're my master's father..." Yang said, his hair blocking his eyes but tears can be seen falling from them as he raised his head, a gust spiralling around his body "You're in no place to protect him!"

"I came here to protect no one" Ryujin growled "I'm sick of you praising my son as some hero that he isn't!"

"Not a smart idea getting in my way right now, Ghoul Lord" Yang spoke calmly.

* * *

**Back with Bane, he was still fighting Kami although they both didn't have an explanation for how Bane wasn't already killed by Kami who was superior to him in terms of skill and strength, Kami's determination to erase his existence wasn't making matters any better either.**

"Why do you persist?" Kami asked "Why do you fight for a father that lied to you, not to mention turn you into a monster and an even more traitorous old fool that coincidentally took my spot as Ghoul Lord moments after I left?"

"Shut up" Bane snapped "J'onn was right, I can't let you get in my head."

"J'onn has a history, like myself, of being wrong" Kami retaliated, kicking Bane back "come with me and I'll protect you from _them _and see to it that your power is put to some...good use." Kami extended his hand to Bane.

"After all you've done?" Bane scowled as he swat the hand aside "No way in hell" but Kami was persistent and relentless.

**Kakuzu laid in wait as he watched Kami try to persuade Bane and couldn't help but laugh at his attempts not to believe Kami.**

_'Hijō ni kyōmibukai... Omoshirodesu'_ (Interesting...very interesting) Kakuzu said looking at Bane _'Watashi wa sore ga watashi wa Kurosaki ga kare no karada no tame ni shiharau koto ni naru kurai omotte shimau, mōichido, kare wa kawakamasu ni Kurosaki no atama no tame no watashi o shiharau dono kuraidarou ka?'_ (I wonder how much he'll pay me for Kurosaki's head on a pike, then again that makes me wonder how much Kurosaki would pay for that body of his?)

* * *

**Elsewhere, Braiarios was furious and the men who are facing him and Bartalos will pay the price...then they'd continue towards Bane.**

_'I'm done...playing games'_ Briarios' mind raged as his opponent was a dragon of some kind...possibly a Ghoul with a draconic heritage...and it was toying with him as his eyebrow twitched as he took that frustration out on the Dragon's body as it laughed "Is that supposed to tickle?"

That was his mistake, as although Briarios can't hurt his body on the outside, he knew well how to hurt him now as it made it's rounds back at him "Come at me!" He lured the fool into his trap as he muttered "you simple minded son of a bitch..."

"Die for your arrogance!" The dragon didn't see the sadistic though disgusted smile come across the Ghoul Lord's face as he was swallowed.

**The dragon soon discovered his mistake as the pissed off Ghoul Lord was intent on knitting his intestines into a sweater, with Bartalos, he wasn't as angry as Briarios but was equally as dangerous despite not having his physical prowess...that wasn't his forté anyway as the Chimera kept him at a distance which would be it's mistake as well.**

"Die..." The Chimera spat a wave of acidic venom at the Ghoul Lord who avoided it barely "You can't defeat what you can't reach or touch"

Bartalos was not fazed by this though "I could say the same for you...you couldn't hit me if I were standing still" he said, making the Chimera angry.

"I'd watch my step if I were you...I'm not as cruel as the other Ghoul Lord, but I do tend to leave a lasting impact"

"What are you talking about?" The Chimera snarled "You're in no place to make threats"

Bartalos simply pointed at his feet to show he was in a seal, not a paralysis seal but an explosive one with an alluring dark purple glow that disappeared until it was too late.

The Chimera looked at the seal at his feet then to the Ghoul Lord "You wouldn't..." Bartalos merely smiled a pleased smile "Oh, I would...you wouldn't want to underestimate what I'd do"

**The sounds of explosion echo through the forest and Bartalos wasn't even getting serious yet...Ryujin on the other hand, was deeply bothered by Bjorn's accusation that he didn't have it in him to kill his own son, which he didn't as far as the intelligent, though easily blinded by delusions of grandeur in his opinion, Ghoul Lord...he would have to make sure and cripple Yang first to make sure he wouldn't interfere.**

"You wanna test me, Yang Hiachi?" Ryujin looked at Yang and J'onn, who he was far from finished disgracing on either side of him "I taught you better...this could've ended before it began with you, baka student and are you proud of what you let happen?"

J'onn shook his head, knowing Ryujin wasn't above murdering him if he rushed at him recklessly.

"You're first, Yang-san" Ryujin growled as appeared near J'onn with a boot to the jaw "sleep tight, J'onn Luc, you'll be dealt with soon enough" he knocked J'onn out cold as proof that he was more powerful than him and looked at Yang.

"He's your student, what are you thinking?!" Yang was surprised but outraged at the same time as Ryujin replied "Yeah, not that I care but what concern is that of yours?"

Yang took a step back as he thought _'What the...what is this feeling?' _Ryujin's cold blue eyes fell on him as very few, Yang and Kami included, could maintain eye contact for long with a pissed off Ryujin who rushed at him.

Yang managed to dodge a few swings of the swordmaster's sword, which he hadn't seen or heard him draw but he was nearly impossible to predict as he knew various styles of armed and unarmed combat and can switch between them as he jumped back and breathed a cloud of Ash to blind Yang who began coughing after accidentally breathing some in. Ryujin bit down on the Ash, creating a spark and white hot flame which created an explosion which blew Yang outside. Ryujin can control many aspects of fire, including ash, smoke and different intensities of flame shown by color...black and white being the hottest. Kami can do the same as a member of the Kurosaki Clan, but cannot wield the most powerful white flames known as the Flame of Life and Death, regardless of it's wielder with both the ability to give and take life.

This alerted Kami and Bane as they were about to restrain the violent tempered Ghoul Lord, that is until his rage turned on them "Ryujin-sama, no!" Bane jumped on Ryujin's back and attempted to choke him into submission, but he was far too weak as Ryujin flicked him off.

**Kami decided that instead of calming his enraged father, he should see to finishing off J'onn but was kicked out minutes after entering. Azazel revealing himself seeking payback by fighting at his full strength.**

"Where'd all that strength come from, Azazel?" Kami got up quickly to his feet with one eye closed as Azazel stepped out "I didn't think I'd be honorable by holding back on you again...I care nothing for Ghouls myself, but I think I can attest for all Ghouls that you are of better use dead than alive"

"You little-" Kami flipped to his feet, using his advantage of physical strength, mind blowing speed and the fact that he could predict where the Demon Lord would teleport next by some unknown means.

Azazel was well aware of Kami not being easily manipulatable, even when angered, so he'd prefer not to let this drag out like he had the last time as the two sword master's fought.

* * *

**Bane was about to ambush Kami himself, when Kakuzu intervenes and prevent this as he preferred this particular bounty alive, he also knew Kami's reputation, not to mention his repotoir and Kami knew more about the Bounty Hunter than even most dead people knew. He knew of his tendency to always want to be on the winning side, even if it is his own.**

Bane's anger was reaching it's boiling point as he was about to charge at Kami when a fierce grip on his ankle stopped him "What the hell?" He thought out loud, wondering who was dumb enough to keep him from his revenge on Kami.

He looked down expecting to see the person but only found a hand fiercely gripping his ankle as he pulled and it pulled back stronger, dragging him as it did.

"Let go!" Bane sent a blade of wind back at the still hidden Kakuzu, but sliced the money he had in his other hand to pieces accidentally instead as the hand stopped pulling him and slowly released him after he felt a huge amount of killing intent aimed at him, which froze him in place and threatened to even drive him insane.

"Do you know what you've just done, little shit?!" Kakuzu swung a powerful punch at Bane, barely missing and breaking a tree in two effortlessly "you've destroyed something far more dear to me right now than your life" Kakuzu accused as Bane tried to run off, only for Kakuzu to grab a handful of his hair and bring their faces closer, his mouth still hidden "I'm gonna beat every penny of my money outta you with interest, how about that?" He choked Bane tightly with one hand as he started crying and his eyes changes to more wolf like eyes.

When he reached into Bane's pocket and found nothing of interest to him, no money, he tried to slam his face into a tree "Enough sniveling!" He'd read Bane's file, every Ghoul had a secret file about them and where they're from etc.

**A second later, the Bounty Hunter was sent flying as he was inpailed through the stomach by Ryujin's sword.**

Kakuzu walked off the sword like it was nothing, like all Ghouls, he was immortal but that was never good enough for him as he had a total of five hearts, one of which Kami destroyed some years ago and he'd yet to replace. He was also a very calm albiet cold person that could become cruel and sadistic where something he wanted, which was usually money, was always concerned. He had an intuition for when he was being robbed, underpayed or when a client was enough of an idiot not to pay him for his hard work altogether.

* * *

**Elsewhere Briarios and Bartalos have finished defeating the demons in their way and decides to crash the party where Bane was, Bartalos having obtained the poisons he seemed.**

"What exactly are you planning to do with that?" Braiarios saw an evil glint in his companion's eyes as Bartalos said "Oh, nothing you have to be concerned about"

"You have practically several gallons of chimera venom in that goblet...you know I hate when you beat around the bush like that" Briarios scowled "that can melt almost anything, you included" then his eyes widen in realization.

"Exactly..." Bartalos giggled wickedly, making Briarios grumpy "when I'm through with J'onn, Yang, Bjorn and those two half-wit Kurosaki's, they'll finally start acting like the grown men we assume they are and never to call us to Japan too late for dealing with Kami"

"Giggle again in my presence and I'll crush your throat..." Briarios warned "You don't think they'll just stand still and be bathed in highly acidic, practically **bone** melting and corrosive venom, do you...especially Bjorn, he'll be on you like fleas in seconds."

"Oh, I think a certain Demon Lord is a perfect enough distraction who will willingly help me once he knows what I'm up to."

**Briarios came down and landed on Wolf-Bane's shoulder as he and the Bounty Hunter, Kakuzu glared at each other.**

"Ooh, cool...a Bounty Hunter" Braiarios said sarcastically as Bartalos cast a paralysis seal on everyone "Stand down, Asakura" he tried to use his ability to control animals, seeing that Bane was a Wolf, but it didn't fully work as Bane wasn't 100% an animal

Kakuzu evaded the seal, knowing this was Bartalos' handiwork "Ghoul Lords and traitors by the dozen...all bounty heads, now which one is worth the most?"

His eyes locked on Kami "Kami, sorry but as valuable a client you have been in the past...you've also got the highest bounty of everyone here, even me" Kakuzu pulled the cloth from him mouth, revealing that his mouth could wide enough to bite a person's neck in two...just the punishment he had in mind for Kami as he had stitshes on the sides of his face and various parts of his body "consider this payback when I take the brat's heart for destroying the money he now owes me with interest"

Kakuzu jumped at Kami but he knew he had to escape "Don't worry, I intend to burn all your other hearts when I get to torture you by keeping you alive through it all" he said making Kakuzu lunge at him as he turned to smoke and escaped "all in due time, my friend..."

"I have no friends...nor do I have the need for any" Kakuzu said as his eyes slowly turned to Bane who lost consciousness due to the stress of going from human to wolf then back to human. Ryujin has sensed that his son has truly left the city now as his sword fell from his hand...he no longer knew how to feel as he wasn't going to face his wife on the other side before sending Kami to hell first. Yang felt nothing...just stood there for hours barely even breathing as he saw the blood drain from Ryujin's face "He's gonna pay, I...swear" he fell as Ryujin caught him by the collar before he fainted and fell on him.

**Kakuzu was about to grab Bane to add his heart to his collection as he intended but Shin got there in time.**

"Keep your hands to yourself, Bounty Hunter" Shin said as Kakuzu stopped in place...the more someone paid him was the more he listened to them and The Crypt and her wardens were his best and most trustworthy clients as they usually put out the bounties to the various bounty offices anyway as Kakuzu stepped away from Bane "Shin-san...since when were you able to leave the Crypt?"

"He just needed the right encouragement..." One of the Hunters said as Kakuzu glared at him "Shut up, I wasn't speaking to you."

"Let's say, I was scared and needed the right encouragement..." He looked at Bane as Kakuzu stepped back "Does that mean that you'd be coming to me from now on then?"

"Don't bet your life on it..." Shin remarked knowing the Bounty Hunter liked to annoy him "the boy has no bounty on his head, so leave him be."

"He doesn't" Kakuzu nodded "but I have no intention of letting him get off with owing me anything...especially moolah" he rubbed his fingers together to prove his point as he pointed at Bane, which Shin got due to being used to his vocabulary and his mannerisms to know that he rarely ever lies.

* * *

**Kakuzu decides to leave as everyone else returned to the Library with the unconscious Bane and J'onn in tow.**

By the time Bane was awake, everyone was in the library and Ryujin was the first to notice he was up "Someone's had a nice nap..." Kurosaki said as he leaned against the wall with his arms folded and his sword in hand as he rose and rubbed his head, only to be tackled by a hug from Tsume "You had me worried..." Bane blushed red at that as Kurosaki rolled his eyes.

"Where's J'onn?" He asked as Ryujin shrugged "In the other room, let's say I hit him pretty hard."

"Watch your step, Master Ryujin..." Bartalos dripped venom at his feet as he gave an icy glare "this stuff can melt bone and liquify skin"

"So can I..." Ryujin was _not_ amused by Bartalos' stunt "I don't trust not knowing where that blind guy is either"

"Kami seems to be gone from the city..." Bjorn noticed "Let's hope he doesn't return, but the question of how did he return and re-enter the city in the first place has yet to be answered"

Bjorn remained silent, refusing to put in his input, which immediately make Ryujin point him out as a suspect as he followed him out.

**As soon as they opened the door, Braiarios held them both off the ground by their necks, he was still pissed with both of them and the only way anyone was leaving this library was through him, if they so dared.**

"I'm gonna put you both down now, but I'll warn you only once and I'll be very clear about this" Braiarios said, his grip tightening to make sure he had their undivided attention "We're going to have the banquet, as planned and then have a meeting weather J'onn's awake or not and do it as adults, which means I won't be hearing a single argument between you two if you value life and limb, got it?"

They said nothing as he snapped "I said if you got that?!" Both nodded as best as they could as he dropped them and slammed the door shut full strength as it fell off the hinges

"You know they're to leave if the so wished now that you've broken the door down, right?" Tsume asked as he sat beside her "I dare any of you to test your luck..." He replied as he relaxed

* * *

**Elsewhere, in one of Azazel's Demon Realms, his wife, Raven was laying in bed in a castle...she clearly didn't want to be here but managed to see Kami Kurosaki's bone chilling face when she entered that portal to cross back into her world, she hoped never to meet the man. If she did plan to leave though, Azazel had many demons hiding in wait outside for her, including Azazel's two sons who were her stepchildren, who were both Human/Mutants with Demonic ties and lineage.**

Nils Styger aka Abyss, the younger of Azazel's two eldest sons stood on a pedistle near the great stairs that led to Azazel's castle here in Azeroth. His ability was to pull other into the void in his body but strong emotions made him unstable as he also bared more resemblance to his father, minus the tail than his older brother was Kiwi Black who preferred to be called by his given human name of Marcus Skarr as only his father was allowed to call him Kiwi Black.

Kiwi was from New Zealand, being born and raised Ruatoki, New Zealand, the homeland of his late human mother and had his father's power of Teleportation, though he doesn't need to see where he's going and very few things can prevent him from teleporting but to his lack of emotion. He is also immune to telepathy of any kind and isn't very fond of his stepmother as he guarded the Gates of Azeroth and can sense when trouble was coming his way as he sat on the stairs below his younger step brother. His ato focus energy through physical forms for multiple uses coupled with his large information and knowledge on all energies as well as physics, and science also made him a force to be reckoned with.

"What do you think father is doing right now?" Abyss asks casting his yellow eyed stare down on the older half-demon turned his red eyes to glare at Nils. He had black swirl markings on his face as well

"What do I care what father does?" He asks "She's awake and rather annoying for someone who will bare father's next heirs"

"Let's see what father is up to then, hm?" Abyss' smirk turned to a toothy grin as Kiwi Black warned as he raised his pants to show an inscribled 'Ankle Bracelet' as he called it "Do as you wish, Abyss, it isn't like we have much choice as to do father's bidding with these on, but be careful."

"You need to get out a little more, brother" Abyss smirked as he passed his hand through his black hair styled straight up...he was always more of an adventurer than Kiwi even though they were both more powerful here.

"I'll check on her..." Kiwi Black said as he teleported through a spiral like portal "She's going to be having two children"

"Love her all of a sudden?" Abyss smirked as Kiwi actually smiled "Don't kid yourself, it's nothing like that"

* * *

**Kiwi Black appeared in the room Raven Darkholme was staying in, he wasn't anymore fond of her than he was with Azazel but the thrill of him or one of his half-siblings taking Azazel's place as Demon Lord was all but...inticing to him.**

Kiwi was quite surprised that Azazel went to so much to keep his most recent bride here as he had not only much stronger Demonic Guards but more intelligent ones as well that knew her reputation very well as a skilled assassin...one thing about her that he could at least say he respected that.

"No one enters..." One of the guards said, his weapon blocking Kiwi from entering as he replied "Don't worry, I can handle her...that is unless you've been ordered to keep even Azazel's children out"

The demons looked at each other then to Kiwi Black before bowing "Master Kiwi Black..." As the door was opened for him and he entered, the door closing behind him.

**The room was dark, but darkened even more with his presence. He quickly noticed Raven was missing and hoped she hadn't escaped again.**

He closed his eyes and broadened his senses to see if she was gone but didn't know she was hidden in the darkness to ambush him as he threw a candle stand at his head. He was gone in seconds.

Raven stepped back and thought _'Shit' _as she back up silent as the night until she stopped against something hard, the much taller Zealander easily wrapped his arm around her throat "Nice try, almost got me this time...so lucky" he said the last part quieter as his red eyes glowed in the darkness as he threw her on the bed.

"Why would you say I'm lucky to be seduced by a Demon?" Raven was pissed, she didn't like Kiwi Black and Abyss any more than Abyss merely tolerating her and Kiwi downright hating her because of how she speaks to them like she's over them as he replied "I was only checking up on you" he gritted his teeth in forced calm and said one last thing before leaving "I doubt you'd feel any better if you were seduced by one of your own kind"

"What is that supposed to mean?!" Raven snarled throwing a vase at the door, but Kiwi Black was already gone, having teleported out and back to Nils.

"Interesting..." Abyss said as Kiwi rejoined him looking at a mirror he created to look into the Human World to see Bane, Kami and their father, Azazel as Kiwi Black commented "What's father doing with Ghouls, of all creatures?"

* * *

**A/N - Raven was back in Azeroth, guarded by her two step-sons and hidden Demons everywhere, but how does she plan to escape again and does Kami already know she exists? Kiwi Black and Abyss are cannon characters and Kurt's half brothers from the comics who lost their powers due to the M-Day even in the comics like almost every mutant. Kiwi Black actually helped the X-Force as did his brother who lives on an unknown part of the Mutant Island, Genosha. I expect Kiwi Black's teleportation to be just like Kurt's but look like Kakashi's Kamui in Naruto Shippuden... R/R for more.**


	32. Chapter 32

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 32**

**I was thinking of Bane crossing into Azeroth by following Azazel without permission and getting into a fight with Kiwi Black or something, as I hardly doubt the Adult Bane Asakura is on good terms with any of Azazel's offspring besides Kurt and Rogue, he doesn't hate them but he doesn't fully show that he likes the half brothers very much either...however, Kami would make contact with the Baby Kurt sooner or later as he'll try to take his heart and soul as well.**

"This is interesting..." Yamamoto said as he looked through the information Tsujin, Tsume and Chad had found while finding new information of his own "I think I've found what Kami was searching for...or what he was hoping Bane would find"

"What is it?" Yang asked as Yamamoto raised the book showing everyone a book that Yang himself recognized as the Uni-Tome...a extremely dangerous artifact that wasn't meant for mortal hands as he breathed "The Uni-Tome..."

"How would you know of such a powerful item?" Ryujin asks as Yang frowned deeply "The One almost possessed my body when Kami was first possessed, but I think it was only trying to kill me...I remember that like it happened yesterday, that's the reason my relationship with Kami has withered as well."

"The question now is..." Tsume says "Does The One have this Uni-Tome now?"

"No..." Yang said "You can thank J'onn for somehow destroying it, but it hasn't weakened The One in any way"

"We'll deal with this matter in due time..." Bartalos said with a smile that no one could trust with his threat to bathe his colleagues in corrosive, toxic and equally deadly venom "Not that this isn't interesting and all, but shall we get on with this Banquet already?"

Tsume grabbed her husband, worried "How did J'onn destroy it, I mean we are dealing with an omnipotent, all powerful evil God with a sick obsession with Kami here?" As Yang groans "I don't know if the One could recreate it somehow, but..." He paused for a moment "it'll take a lot and weaken him drastically...he wouldn't want to fight us while having to do so"

That was when Bane got up "And where is the guest of honour off to?" Bjorn asks as he simply replied "I'm heading home...then I'll come to the banquet" he left with that as everyone looked at each other.

Ryujin cast his eye coldly on J'onn as he came to "You, master, are a real bastard, you know that?" He chuckled lightly as Yang glared daggers at him and Ryujin smiled wide "You've been calling me that for far too long since you were a boy, J'onn Luc, Bane also has more power that any of us are aware of..."

"That again..." Yang grumbles as Ryujin looks at him "Don't tell me, as the boy's father, even you have been unable to sense it...that ominous power?"

"Kami turned my son into a wolf and had him turn on his own friends and family..." Yang said as Ryujin snapped "Bullshit! Kami weilds no power to do that, he simply awakened something that was already inside the brat, meaning that power's original owner is Bane himself!" Yang was breath taken by this as he clenched his fist but before he could retaliate, the tip of Ryujin's sword was at his throat as a fiery aura came over him "Are you that blind...whatever attachments you've had to my son is long gone and that power your son is packing is terrifying, especially when you realize that he doesn't even fully control it...makes you wonder what he'd be capable of if he were in control of it" he had a hidden smile at that.

* * *

**Elsewhere with Bane, he was walking through the city, watching different Ghouls pass by...he still wasn't comfortable with the males of the species, who have tried to kill him by Kami's orders or not and only woman he trusted in this city was his mother...the voice in his head seemed to be determined to show that Bane was never alone though, even if he was alone.**

_"Everything seems to have calmed down, with Kami gone and no one trying to kill you...but something is amiss" _Bane heard the voice of Dark Bane as he appeared beside him, something only he can see or hear, though no other Ghoul would see it as strange that he seemed to be talking to himself despite being verbally silent...the voices seems like a sixth sense recently as well as he made his way into the Binge Eater's side of the city which was strangely quiet with every Ghoul he passed stopping where he was and looking at him.

_'Anata wa soko ni ikutsu ka no warui kaisha, Asakura-kun o motte iru yō ni miemasu'_ (Looks like you've got some bad company there, Asakura-kun) A Binge Eater came out of an alley with some weird merchandise, having probably met the enigmatic, mysterious but quite resourceful Sozin as the man smirked, just noticing who exactly it was _'Watashi wa ima anata no koto o nikumimasu...'_ (I'd hate to be you right now...)

Bane's only reply was "Why?" As the Ghoul stalked off with a shrug "You'll find out..." as Bane shot off to his home, he had little time for games right now as the strange feeling he felt free stronger.

**Bane entered his home to find it darker than usual, little did he know Kakuzu was waiting for him to get whatever amount to his destroyed bounty Bane owed him...that and a threat or worse wouldn't hurt to get it either.**

Bane entered the living room area when the lights flicked on and he could hear the enigmatic Bounty Hunter's three fingers rubbing together "How did you get in here?" Bane questioned turning quick enough to see a kick coming at the back of his head and dodged by a hair "I'm a bounty hunter, which means I'm also paid to acquire information...by any means necessary and without detection" He answered "Nice place, by the way...shall we begin?" He has barely moved from his spot against the wall and Bane was on edge already, given his last explosion of rage, but he seemed calm now as restrained as it seemed.

"What do you want from me?!" Bane's powers created a small dust tornado around him as he swung a punch at Kakuzu, who caught his hand and growled "Don't tell me you've forgotten what you owe me already...my money"

Before Bane could say anything, Kakuzu used heat to push him away then showed something on a small stool.

"Some o' these look familiar?" Kakuzu gestured to the pictures of his friends, his mother Tsume at the top as Kakuzu picked her picture "remember when I said I'd worked for even the likes of Kami?"

"Leave my friends out of this!" Bane snapped but quickly found out that Kakuzu wasn't going to tolerate any of it as he raised his hand and grabbed at Bane's face, Bane's mistake however while evading the grab was looking Kakuzu right in his unblinking eyes, which he now could not look away from and felt his unbelievably strong murderous intent "Was that too much K.I for you?" He asked, clearly amused by his reaction "I highly doubt that, as I could kill you without even touching you many times over like this and this isn't even it's full strength"

"Leave...my mother ALONE!" Bane's voice changed to a combination of his own and Kami's for a second as his own anger and K.I grew as he willed himself to turn into his wolf form...Kakuzu was not amused though and came prepared as he raised a hand and used four cleverly hidden devices used to jam and nullify magic activated, keeping Bane in human form for as long as possible.

Kakuzu got right in his face in seconds, narrowed red eyes as he revealed his face fully again "What makes you think you're in any place to make such demands of me?"

"Listen...to a wager then?" Bane asks as Kakuzu perked an eyebrow "A wager...of what kind?"

"Bring Kami back to the city alive" Bane said as Kakuzu became very interested replying sharply "and my payment?"

"Triple what I already owe you if you bring Kurosaki to me in the city alive" Bane continued as he saw a gleam in the other Ghoul's dark red eyes as he raised his hand to stop his magic's effect on the room as well as Bane as he put out a hand to shake "Fine then, but refuse to pay me this time and I won't come after you...I make my threat a harsh reality with your friends, especially her" he pointed at Tsume as he quickly disappeared "Beware...you're not the only wolf in this city and the other is rather territorial at times"

* * *

**Before Bane could question any further, Kakuzu had disappeared leaving Bane more confused as to how the hell he was going to pay him off now. Elsewhere, Ryujin had made his way into the unknown areas of the city and needed to find a specific secluded bar for a drink and to ask an old friend a favor**

Ryujin Kurosaki walked through the bar to the front to one of his usual bartenders but it appeared the Ghoul sensed his presence early before he was seen "Ryu-sā, what are you doing here?" A man with white mane-like hair as white as the moon and eyes as blue, deep and cold as the deepest ocean as Ryujin smirked as he sat at the bartender's counter "Ah, Tazaki-san" he said as the man, Tazaki Hyomaru, narrowed his slit eyes but said nothing "just the...man, so to speak...I'm looking for"

"Come within an inch of hugging me and I'll gouge your eyes out first" he warned tightening his grip on a corkscrew "Shouldn't you be busy being dead right now?" Ryujin could tell that something had pissed the overly violent bartender off but stood his ground.

"Surely by now the rumors have spread to even here of the young Ghoul that-"

"Supposedly ressurected you...yes" the Ghoul bartender growled as he turned to Ryujin "the rumor has spread like wild fire in this city...even here, as scarce as it has been"

"I'd like your help on something that you're the foremost expert on" Kurosaki said as the bartender smirked "Is this about alcohol or my 'other' expertise, Kurosaki-kun?"

"The other...I could care less for you so-called shitty expertise on liquor right about now..." Ryujin said scowling at any who looked at him for too long as Tazaki grew serious with a smile on his face that his what a sadist he was, looking at the couple beside the Ghoul Lord that he'd been ignoring since his arrival

"I'm afraid that I'm taking no more costumers right now..." Tazaki said with a quick frown "drink what you've got and get lost"

The woman glared at him "Not a chance, we're drinking you out of business..."

Ryujin stayed out it but watched it play out thinking _'Where'd he find these pompous idiots?'_

_'Anata wa bijinesu kara watashi o oku koto ga dekiru to omoimasu ka?'_ (You think you can put me out of business?) Tazaki got face to face with them, the only thing keeping him from headbutting the woman in the face was the counter _'Yatte Mina yo'_ (Just try it)

**The couple and Tazaki glared at each other for a moment before it was clear that they'd never win as the left with some other who either laughed at their stupidity or glared at Tazaki himself, who wasn't concerned in the slightest.**

"Do you need help finding the boy?" Ryujin said as the bartender downed his coat and went to the door replying "No...all I need you to do is get out, I'm locking the door."

He quickly shifted into his wolf form, a large white wolf that resembled Bane's wolf form except due to Tazaki's years of experience, he can speak more freely and was fast on two feet or on all fours in this form.

Ryujin smiles darkly and leaves the man to his work, with no intention of watching him, following him or helping either him or Bane should Bane's mouth get him in trouble which it will

* * *

**By the time Tazaki was in the area of Bane's house, Yang had found his son first and they needed to talk...this didn't amuse Tazaki but he let them have their peace before he tests Bane.**

Yang entered Bane's house in search of him "Bane, we need to talk..." He knew Bane was here but got no answer which was unexpected as he expected his son to at least tell him to go jump in a ditch or something.

Yang entered the living room to find Bane exactly where Kakuzu left him _'That goddamn Bounty Hunter...I'll kill him next time I see him' _he thought as he consoled his son who was too mortified to push him away.

"Bane...I'm sorry for everything" Yang apologized as Bane's only movement was a nod "I'll find Kami myself and make him regret what he's done...it's my job both as your father and his student. This means I won't be celebrating with you at the banquet however"

Suddenly Bane pushed Yang off and ran to the door as he felt something was coming "Something's coming..." He said as Yang looked at him strangely, unable to sense anything coming.

"Asakura...get out here!" Tazaki said as he finally appeared walking calmly towards Bane's house and made eye contact with him "come out and face me or I'll come in and face you...the other with you should go away and not dare to interfere in our...fun"

**Both complied and went outside to face the wolf, although Bane knows the city well now he decides not to run because he isn't certain what the wolf would do to him once he caught him. Yang stood in the way, however.**

"Who are you?" Yang stood between his son and Tazaki as he looked at him coldly "Leave, fool and don't play hero with me"

"Answer the question, damnit" Yang bit back as Tazaki snarled "I'm not known for everlasting patience, fool and I have no intention of giving my name to _you_, so go away!"

Tazaki was clear enough with his bared fangs that Yang stepped aside but didn't leave in case Bane needed him

Tazaki was face to face with Bane and smelled the scent of Kakuzu on him "What business would you have with the likes of that money laundering Kakuzu?"

"I owe him" Bane said and was about to ask his name again when he snapped "there is only one here that I have any intention of giving my name to and you won't let him out...why?"

"I can't..." Bane looked down as Tazaki kicked him from behind with his hind leg "can't...or won't?"

"Let your other side loose and take control every once in a while" Tazaki warned placing his paw on Bane's back "or you'll never be at peace with one another...his body isn't yours to control in the first place...do it or I'll snap you in half" he applied a bit more pressure on the back of Bane's shoulder and spine and heard the thrilling sound of his bones popping loudly

**That was the push Bane needed as he turned into his wolf form, but since his human side still struggled for control, he was rampant despite setting on focussing his anger on Tazaki, the sadistic bartender.**

"What did I say about being afraid, stop fighting it!" Tazaki tried not to get mad enough to lunge at him as Bane said weakly "I can cause anyone close to die because of me..."

"Let the wolf understand that then just let go" Tazaki said thinking _'So he's afraid to lose what he holds dear...too bad he'll have to lose it anyway'_

"Let go" Tazaki kept pushing him and getting in his way to see his eyes without getting him "let go, let go right now, you stubborn brat!" The area was blanketed in snow due to Tazaki's magic, that caused Bane to stop and be still.

"This power...it feels different" Wolf-Bane lifted his clawed hand and looked at it "Bane has never given me full control of this body before...and I have to admit, this feels good" his smile sent shivers up Yang's spine as he looked at him

"Who are you?" Yang said, afraid to ask what as the wolf turned to him "I am black...next time, tell White not to take so long" the wolf said, sonsidering Bane as the one he calls white as he attacked Tazaki on sight.

"Great strength and speed...good but you'll need more than that to fight on my level" he dodged fireballs and jumped into the air releasing a shower of icy spikes as Black used his martial arts skills destroy anything that came close as his limbs moved so fast they were blurs.

Black stopped when he noticed that Tazaki did the same and was only testing him before he took his human form "I'm Tazaki Hyomaru...you should visit my bar sometime, I don't see you as a threat but I do see your potential" he lit a cigarette and turned to walk away "The more often you take that form and relinquish any and all control, the better you'll become and the easier it'll be to transition between them."

Black however was far from done and lunged at him "Don't turn you back on me until I'm dead!"

Tazaki smiled as he turned and caught the wolf, twice his size, by the neck and squeezed with the intent to crush his neck as the wolf clawed at his hand as it's breath was almost completely restricted but his eyes showed only strength and no fear "I'll remember you..." He said as he gave control back to Bane and returned to human as Tazaki dropped him replying "and I, you."

"I told you you'd be fine once you truly let go" Tazaki smiled darkly "It's good to let loose and lose control every once in a while, eh?" the ground froze and became reflective as both Tazaki's and Bane's wolf forms were their reflections as Bane made eye contact with the wolf as it smiled at him.

"Don't fear it, or you fear yourself" Tazaki said leaving.

* * *

**A/N - Yang decides to help Bane prepare for the banquet but Bane still wonders what Tazaki meant, while The Ghoul Lords also prepare for the Banquet...how will the other Ghouls treat Bane at the Banquet, now that Yang refuses to attend? We'll see next chapter, R&amp;R!**

* * *

**Elsewhere, in Azeroth, Azazel's sons watched the entire fight between Tazaki Hyomaru and Bane Asakura and they were more and more as interested in Bane as their father was...Kiwi Black has also seen a mix of both good and evil in him.**

"That boy's temper can go bad at the flip of a coin...interesting" Kiwi Black said watching Bane watching his wolf form's reflection "His suffering is far from over though" he said wisely.

"Wise-ass" Nils said as Kiwi's head turned so fast to glare at him, he swore he almost broke his neck as he corrected himself as he pointed at Bane "I meant the kid...he's making more enemies and rivals than friends and he's not that smart, I don't see any foreseeable potential in him"

"Be quiet...he fought a Ghoul Lord and survived" Kiwi said "He dies and only then will I consider him a fool."

* * *

**The brothers continued to watch Bane in particular and so was Mystique, though she doesn't trust Bane or the interest her stepsons and Azazel has with them. Kami was outside the city and could almost jump with joy at his freedom, that was until he sensed Bane's power and almost fell to his knees looking back in the direction of his former home even though he could no longer see it.**

"Asakura...who would've thought a backwater clan like Hiachi's would spawn something so powerful" Kami said as he felt Bane's power momentarily and almost fell to one knee despite his distance from the city as he glared back in the direction of the the city and forced himself to his feet "Bane Asakura, you better never forget what you did to me because I'll now stop at nothing to take your body as my own or utterly destroy it if I can't"

**Kami bids the city farewell for now to have some fun with the rest of the world, certain that he and Bane are bound by fate to cross paths again.**


	33. Chapter 33

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 33**

**Bane is going to meet a lot of Ghouls this chapter and not all of them too appreciative of him calling them monsters...they seem as human as the G.E.C humans but not all of them are mentally stable...they're crazy but smart, much like Kami but not as much.**

Bane stood before a mirror, adjusting his collar as Yang looked at him through his reflection "You seem troubled...was it about that Bounty Hunter I saw on my way here?"

"You seemed to be troubled too..." Bane looked back at him "I may owe him a sum of money that I accidentally destroyed while fighting Kami...I don't know how he knew where I lived"

Yang froze "You...what?" He said quietly "As long as you pay them back and it's anyone in the world but Kakuzu, you'll be fine."

By how Bane jumped at the mention of said Bounty Hunter's name, Yang glared at him "It's Kakuzu-san, I'm certain by that look."

"What look?" Bane said with the same look on his face as Yang ruffled his hair "You're my son...I know you too well for you to think you can lie or hide anything from me. Wait until your mother hears this and then you can worry"

"Are you gonna come with me to the banquet?" Bane asks as a fist collides with his head "Not if it were the last Banquet on Earth...I have better, more important things to do"

"Like what?" He answered as Yang replied "Going to find Master...obviously as he owes me some answers before I let anyone kill him"

"Kami..." Bane nodded understanding his father's feelings as he said "Be careful..."

"I can handle him, he may know my every move but I know how he thinks" he said "besides...if you don't stop letting the Ghouls here think you're a weak pushover, you're the one who's gonna need to be careful especially with what you tolerate or think other's will tolerate. They will not always think twice to walk all over you if you let them, regardless of if you're my son or not"

* * *

**Yang and Bane nod at each other before going separate ways, but Kakuzu was watching the two closely..he knew when Yang saw him but was uncertain of what significance he was in general and was unconcerned that he was Bane's father, who knew his rep too well for his own damn good. He also saw the cold looks they gave each other when leaving and decides to tail Yang, who had switched personas with Yin. A fact he could easily hide from Bane but not the clever Kakuzu.**

"Interesting..." Kakuzu mused as Yin and Bane glared at each other without one noticing the other "You owe me a few answers, Oto-san..." He chuckles as although Yang had already disappeared in a gust of wind, Kakuzu could still find him.

* * *

**Kakuzu enters the forest after Yang without him even knowing, meanwhile the Ghoul Lords were ready for the Banquet but their guest of honour was late.**

"Master Briarios, where's this Bane character you've been talking so much about?" A Ghoul with a heavy Italian accent scowled in slight impatience as the Ghoul Lord narrowed his eyes growling "That's what I'd like to know..."

"It seems he's no longer in danger...he's with his father" Tsu Chen's right hand man said looking at another Chinese Ghoul whose back was facing them as he meditated "he seems like a good father"

"He's a deadbeat fool...that's what he is" Ryujin said breaking his silence since his arrival "It's his fault Bane is in this mess in the first place, because he sees my son as a great man that he himself knows no longer exists..."

"Will you go find him?" Ryujin asked as polite as he could as the Ghoul who was meditating turned and looked at him then Bartalos "Milord...?"

Bartalos shrugged "I don't see why not..." as the Ghoul looked back at Ryujin and bowed his head "If that is what you wish, I'll retrieve the boy" he went to the door and guess who turned up as he opened it, Bane himself.

**Bane fixed his clothes and was about to open the door, but it opened on it's own, almost 200 Ghouls with their eyes on him, all with glowing eyes and all looked starving, not to mention impatient.**

"I'm late, aren't I?" Bane stated the obvious as the Ghoul that was sent to get him looked emotionless and extremely unamused as he replied "That is obvious...you must be Bane Asakura"

"Yes, how do you know who I am?" Bane raised an eyebrow as the Ghoul growled "Come and find out...once I close the door, I'm not opening it again and my stomach's as empty as it'll get."

Bane froze as the Ghoul shot him a look before he was kicked from behind by Rokusho _'Sate, naze wareware wa mada tabe hajimeru koto ga arimasu ka?'_ (Okay, why haven't we start eating yet?) The Ghoul snapped accompanied by Scar, Yamamoto, Hamura and Tsujin along with countless Hunters and researchers that worked alongside either Rokusho or Scar.

Hamura walked in and grabbed Bane's head, lifting him to his feet with no pain as he looked at Tsume "Your hubby seems to always be late...unless he doesn't intent to come" he glared at Bane "and who's late to a Banquet in their honour anyway?"

"Oh, if I know Yang...there won't be a banquet if you wait for him" Tsume said "I'm not defending him, but he definitely won't see eye to eye with most of you...being Kami's former student and all" she rolled her eyes.

"You're his wife...what business do you have being here and not by his side then?" Hamura asks as Tsume replies "I'm his wife...not his tail, all I can do is support him or call him an idiot, so I'll do both"

Hamura shakes his head with a light chuckle "I just hope the baka into some kind of trouble...he looks like that type of guy"

* * *

**Everyone tried to get the banquet started, meanwhile Kakuzu had made it to a point in the forest and by the looks of it, he has lost Yang's sight and scent as he wore a black hood, so as to not rouse any unwanted suspicion as to why he was in such a hurry to get here. They both thought they had the other caught in a trap however.**

Kakuzu stops in a clearing in the middle of the forest, then stopped...apparently no longer able to sense Yang but suddenly, Yang appeared behind him and held him in a chokehold "You fell right into my trap, fool..."

Kakuzu looked back at him as he pulled the cloth he usually had covering his mouth down "You still have much to learn...even a skilled individual like Kami...or you couldn't trap me this easily and you're the one whose fallen into a trap"

Kakuzu's body began melting into a brown sticky, highly flammable and explosive oil as his voice snarled "Katsu!" triggering the oil to explode with Yang in it's line of fire as the real Kakuzu appeared behind him "You know too much about me for me to allow your life to continue, I'll give Bakemono your regards, oto-san" he spoke of Bane as he noticed "Huh...I missed" as he spun to block a fist which he gripped "Let's see you dodge this" he sent his knee into Yang's stomach, holding nothing back and knocking the air out of him.

"Big...mistake" Yin said taking control as he headbutts Kakuzu in the face, this pissed him off greatly, so he returned the favor almost knocking him out as Yang blinked and muttered "bad idea...drop the amount of the money Bane owes you"

"What?!" Kakuzu snapped "I want my 500,000 yen, down to the last cent...don't add insult to the injuries I plan to cause on your body."

"500,000...is how much...he owes you?" Yin was speechless "I'm not paying you half a million dollars!"

"Of course you won't...but he will and Kurosaki owes me three times that much" Kakuzu became calmer "for antagonizing him enough that he shredded my money in the first damn place."

"So you're dead broke then" Yin commented as Kakuzu's fist almost took his nose off "Blasphemy...I don't deal with outstanding debts or double dealers, Hiachi...neither do I want or need _your_ money"

Yang pushed Kakuzu back with a gust "I did not mean to offend or enrage you, but that's outrageous when he barely makes an income here in the city" but Kakuzu shook the gust off and started walking towards Yang "Tough luck...the only thing I'm dropping is you and you better pray I don't double it instead and I won't kill him until I deliver Kami's corpse to him alive and get my cash."

"What's this about Kami-sama's corpse?!" Yin snarled as he rushed in with a knee to Kakuzu's chin that knocked him into the air, but he landed on the ground like it was nothing "Oh, he didn't tell you?"

"I don't have any vendetta with your former master other than 'rent' he owes me and if I killed him there won't be any point in me getting paid and reimbursed" Kakuzu explained as Yang snarled "I will stop you here then"

"I have business elsewhere and getting in my way in my current mood is...not advised, unless it's with extreme caution" he warned "and here I thought you wanted him to stay here, as much as you both hated it, as well as to be reunited with the only man on the planet who knows not only who your real parents are, but how they may have lost their lives"

Yang ran at him but he simply raised one hand, without any incantations as they glowed and fired a pulse of Dark Magic from his hand that repelled Yang "Shadow Pulse..." Yang fell as an almost invisible and easily confused for telekinesis by humans who are unable to fully see the dark violet burst of dark energy "Once that is over, I'll be back for you to take your heart and the head of the thieving angel that stole Kami's...remember me and don't you dare die"

* * *

**Kakuzu was gone in an instant, without being caught by even Yang's quick eyes, meanwhile Azazel had a demon watching the two, besides his sons in another dimension watching everything, as it decided to follow it's given order and retrieve Yang's body in order to return him to his son.**

The demon, a haunting looking man and a black ghostly wolf looked at Yang "Well well..." The man started as the wolf continued, both with serenity "this Ghoul lost the fight, hmm"

"He is unyielding to defeat...still breathing" the man looked at the wolf who growled, the black part of it's fur taking over the white, looking downright scary "We should end his existence quickly and quietly...give peace to his wandering soul" the wolf was double it's original size but it returned to normal when the man put his arm in it's way which always stopped it.

"Be calm, friend..." The wolf's companion said "There will be imbalance if we kill this one."

The wolf looked at the man suspiciously "We are aware of this, but there is equal risk if he and especially his fallen master remain in the land of the living as well"

"We are Absolution" the man said with a slight edge, but keeping his calm face "we are aware of this, there is no need to argue."

"Yes, as I am War" the wolf, War said "and you are Peace" as the man, Peace lifted the unconscious Yang and himself onto the wolf's back with telekinesis and War took off immediately.

* * *

**Back with Bane, he was curious about everyone but more so about everything they were going to eat as everyone gathered around a large table, some looking even more dangerous now that their hungers have yet to be satisfied.**

Bane stole a seat near the closest Ghoul Lord, sitting between Briarios and Ryujin as they shot him short glares but shifted for him to sit.

"You should sit among the other Ghouls, distancing yourself is irrational..." Braiarios advised as Bane stared down to see Scar among the frolicking Ghouls though he didn't look any happier than Bane which made Bane chuckle a bit as Ryujin grabbed his face "Keep still, I'm hungry and you're already too close for your own safety" Bane clenched his fist as a German Ghoul had pinned Tsume, talking before looking at Bane as no threat as he was far from a flirt and actually teaching her how to defend herself from any Ghoul.

_'Tabemashou!'_ (Let's eat!) The Japanese Ghouls chorused as the food came in, followed by the gregarious Germans who also chorused _'Mittagessenszeit!'_ (Lunchtime!) As Bane caught some of them cracking their knuckles and necks with demented smirks.

_'¡Veamos banquete!'_ (Let us feast!) The Spanish Ghouls cheered including their Ghoul Lord, who was right on Bane's left side as the Chinese were all but silent compared to the others, which was something Ryujin didn't quite trust...hell, he'd been on edge since the start and Bane was curious as to why and if he'd leave after Kami as he knew Yang was as the room shook and everyone snarled "Food!" Stuffing themselves like they'd never seen food before.

"Eat fast or someone's gonna eat it for ya!" Ryujin snarled as Bane figured out what he meant when a Ghoul almost tore his arm off for his food.

* * *

**Elsewhere in the city, Yang had gotten as far as he could from the banquet but could still hear the cheers as he regained consciousness to see Azazel, looking unconcerned but a bit surprised at him.**

"What-where am I?" Yang growled opening his eyes to see the Demon who had rescued him, War and Peace atop a building with their master, Azazel...who looked rather miffed about Kami no longer being in the city and is concerned that Kami had prior knowledge of him as well as his plans for this world, especially once a powerful God-like figure like The One was out of the picture permanently, which was no easy feat, even for Azazel.

"Tell me, are you going to go after your old master?" Azazel's voice snapped Yang out of his thoughts as he replied "Obviously...I have no home here" his glare turned to the Demon Lord "Don't get in my way, don't stop me and don't ever let me hear you call Kami old or I'll rip your throat out." Yang warned as Azazel merely smiled.

**Immediately, War stepped on Yang's throat...War and Peace were the most defient of Azazel's demons but was quick to crush anyone who insulted the Demon Lord in their presence. Peace was the none confrontational opposite to the wolf, War despite them having once been one being...and despite never usually following Azazel's orders to the last letter, they did things in their own way and War was unforgiving to insults to their master of any kind in his presence.**

"Have you met War, by any chance?" Azazel said as War was ready to rip Yang's throat, shooting a look at Peace, who tugged on a special wire that was an ethereal link keeping the two halves of the personality of the demon they originally were together yet apart at the same time which causes the two to argue.

"Peace...stop tugging at our throat, brat" War was scary when he was pissed off but Peace wasn't scared of his short fuse or fazed by it as he tugged harder "Come, War...get off him, if Milord wanted him dead he'll do it, besides he said nothing rude of us"

"Yet..." War finished glaring at Yang as Azazel stepped in, petting the dangerous djinn "War...you're right"

"Which 'me' is right, Lord Azazel?" War retaliated, looking at the Demon Lord concerned as Azazel replied "Both of you are, I can handle this"

War's ears folded back as he stepped off Yang but glared at him between giving sorry looks at Azazel as he released Yang and returned to Peace and Azazel.

Yang rose slowly, watching the demon carefully "Pussy..." He smirked at the now firey eyes of War as a strange scripture wrote itself into the Earth and War seemed to leave a paw print on it before it disappeared and he smirked.

"What was that?" Yang asked as War replied "Nothing the likes of _you_ need to know, but we have been given permission to eat you...as slowly as possible, having just signed your death wish for you."

"Get away from me, Demon Lord...I have to do this" Yang decided that it was best to ignore but keep his eye on the two demons "I won't bother explaining what I'll do if you try to stop me, then again like me, you're stubborn."

Yang scowled at that, as Kami always scolded him for his stubbornness as well "I'm not stubborn..." He denied as he left.

* * *

**Elsewhere, in the city, Kami found a bar and there seems to be a fight going on, he was in a very bad mood since he sensed Bane's power upon leaving the city, so his Killing Intent was at it's peak and quieted the bar before he could even make it to the door.**

Kami entered the bar to see it quiet, but could sense some glares coming his way without even seeing them as he walked in and took a seat "Alcohol...strongest you've got NOW" Kami was trying not to snap but it came out anyway and the bartender, she seemed used to it as she said "You got it."

Kami got his drink in the biggest mug possible and drank it all, completely ignoring the glares as silence filled the bar.

Kami heard footsteps coming his way, but didn't bother paying any mind to it.

_'Nē, anata ga watashi no seki ni iru, rōjin'_ (Hey, you're in my seat, old man) the man said and Kami continued his drink like nobody was there.

_'Watashi wa maigo ni, anata no zaseki o shiyō shite imasu'_ (I'm using your seat, get lost) Kami said lowly, his bad mood becoming much worse

The man's mistake was grabbing Kami's shoulder and spinning his seat to face him...the former Ghoul Lord looked so sadistic that he regretted making eye contact.

"Move!" The man was about to punch Kami in the face but he smiled, his eyes glowing as Amaterasu almost burned the man's arm off, he was somehow quick enough to have only the end of his jacket as many people tried to flee but a wall of black flame blocking the door dare anyone to try.

"I'm terribly sorry if you've found me in as bad a mood as you could possibly find me in, human...but I promise, you'll never do that again" Kami frown before giving an even more chilling smile as he raised a hand "Amaterasu..." He said _'Konzetsu shimasu!'_ (Eradicate!) He closed his hand as everyone was burned alive, but the bartender, who Kami sneered at before leaving.

* * *

**Kiwi Black and Abyss watched Bane's banquet with the Ghoul Lords but Kiwi couldn't understand Bane's point for celebration with Kami Kurosaki still alive, despite that he also could care less for it.**

"What's the point of their celebrating anyway...because that Kami guy's gone?" Kiwi Black asks as the more jovial Abyss shrugs "I guess because he managed to get rid of a ghoul so powerful that he was called a demon, like us..."

"I'm _not_ a Demon, Nils, we're both half-human" Kiwi emphasised "it seems you were wrong about that Bane kid, but I still don't see father's interest in him" he pointed at Bane.

"I guess so, but about father's interest in him...you're guess is as good as mine" Nils said as Kiwi remained silent as he thought _'Bane Asakura, huh...power runs in his veins yet he has no interest in it beyond what he already has?'_ He looked at his hand for a moment before looking away '_What a weakling...'_

* * *

**A/N - Kami's on the loose, Bjorn's banquet has begun and Yang is sick of the city, wanting to pursue Kami's trail as soon as possible...they'll cross paths soon enough, but will Yang like the Kami he crosses paths with? R&amp;R and look out for 'Be Very Afraid of the Dark' which is basically the same story as this one but with a Evil Yang, a M.I.A J'onn and a good Kami who will train Bane Asakura and oppose Michael Darkstone!**


	34. Chapter 34

**Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark**

**Chapter 34**

**Yang and Kami have a connection between master and student that Yang doesn't want broken, but Kami has all but already broken...a mental link that Kami had cast on a young Yang after he was knocked out, he later catches on that Kami had done this should he turn evil that, if necessary, he could make Yang stop chasing him or prevent it altogether, it's a spell passed down in the Kurosaki Clan that the next head of the clan learns on his or her own...Yang caught on to what his master had done (Kami having done the same to J'onn to an extremely weaker and less potent extent) and is about to use it to his advantage as he comes to terms that if he can't save his master, he will be forced to kill him or die trying, losing Bane and Tsume in the process.**

_'Bein...Tsume wa, watashi ga shinakereba naranai mono no tame ni watashi o yurushite.'_ (Bane...Tsume, forgive me for what I must do.) Yang said as he stood on a rooftop alone looking at Bane seemingly enjoying himself at the Banquet before he turned and left, Bane looking out the window as soon as he was gone as he thought _'Oto-san...'_

Yang made his way into a forest he frequently came to alone to do what he had to, reach Kami's mind in order to find him and finish this like he should have from the start as he sat in lotus position and calmed his mind and body "Mind Reach..." He said serenely, at perfect peace with what he was about to do.

* * *

**With Kami, he was still hungry and angry at certain people, recently Bane and Yang since he was raising him since both himself and Yang were children...as they weren't many years apart in age, Kami obviously being older. He was planning to hunt down Bane and Yang again when he felt a sensation. He meditated on the roof while threatening to give the human bartender the same treatment as the men that bothered him earlier if she set foot outside to test his patience.**

Kami sat on the roof meditating as the door eased open, as silent as it was he made no reaction that he heard it as the woman knew that watched other exits as she set foot outside and Kami opens his eyes immediately and threw a dagger at the ground to intimidate her _'Nē, bakku no uchigawa, inaka musume...'_ (Hey, back inside, wench...) As she yelped at the dagger pinging off the stone paved ground the he used the simplest of the Dark Magic telekinetic abilities to raise the dagger and lunge at the door which was closed just in time as he felt Yang's mind reach out to his...this annoyed him even more when he couldn't tell Yang's intent as he seemed to be phishing in Kami's mind for something but he knew what he was looking for...how to break Kami's link to Bane which he was more than capable of doing if given the chance. Kami'd be damned if he didn't give him a run for his money though...but it stopped as quickly as it came.

Yang walked out of the forest slowly with his head down, Kami could see tears dripping from his eyes and rolled his eyes "What're you doing here...quit grovelling and spit it out!"

"I-I think I've misunderstood what you meant...my master is truly gone but my loyalty still lies with you, Kurosaki-sama" Yang's head remained down, bowed and hiding his urge to vomit as he didn't have _that_ much or type of respect for anyone, even Kami but he could feel that Yin was seething with rage and if he played his cards right, that anger would be more than just satisfied.

Kami stood for a moment, at perfect ease despite considering Yang as much of a threat to him as the Ghoul Lords before smiling and widening his eye at Yang "Alright, I guess you're not as stupid as I thought you were...get on your knees" but got a better idea when he saw the human in the bar looking at them "I have a better idea, kill this nice human first"

"As you wish, master..." Yang said stepping past Kami and showing his sword as he opened the door and looked at the woman "Die" the woman cringed as the sword stabbed someone.

She discovered that Yang didn't harm or wish to kill her though and had stabbed Kami in the back instead as Kami gasped, really not knowing that Yang would turn on him so quickly at that moment as he heard the man moan in pain when the sword was pushed through to the hilt "Sorry, only person that will die here is you, Kurosaki-sama"

Kami fell with a smile as Yang turned to the woman "Don't worry, I don't wish to harm you but stay inside, just in case." The woman nodded and locked the door.

Yang looked to the ground to see Kami's body gone, apparently he was only dying like that because the human was watching.

"Poor fool..." Kami said as Yang blocked his dagger to the face with his sword without looking "pretty though, almost reminds me of Tsume-chan...oh, you didn't think I was through with her and killing Bane now, did you?"

Yang's eyes glowed as he tossed Kami with a gust but he regained his footing as Yang growled "Leave. Them. Out of this!"

"Well, if it isn't for them then why have you seeked me out?" Kami scowled slightly "if it's to go back to that city to see my lying excuse for a former master, I wouldn't bet my life on it if I were you."

_'If I get too close to him right now with that look in his eye, I'm done for...' _Yang said as he became Yin and saw a purely demonic look in his master's eyes just then as both raised their one hand...

_Rasenshuriken!_

_Amaterasu: Kagetsuchi!_

Kami tossed a shuriken of black flames at Yang's oncoming shuriken that was a wind magic dirivative of Kagetsuchi that Kami knew he was learning but not that he'd already long ago mastered as Yang's shuriken cut down trees that it couldn't even reach and Kami's Kagetsuchi, like expected with Amaterasu, threatens to burn the entire forest to the ground as the two clashed and created a white and black light that almost looked like a Yin-Yang symbol above a massive crater.

Kami and Yang threw their weapons at each other as they collided but the fighters got to them before they could think of hitting the ground, almost an exact match for each other using their martial arts skills before knocking each other back again.

They both stopped for a while, their eyes never leaving the other's...Kami closed his eyes for a moment, relishing the moment _'To think of it, he'd been developing a variant of my Kagetsuchi all along right under my nose, no doubt' _he then stops smiling altogether as he looks at Yang again _'this should be fun...and entertaining, you still have a very long way to go if you think that just because you can challenge me, you can kill me though'_

At the same time, Yang smiled thinking _'You're right, this may not fully be for Bane or Tsume as much as it is a very personal revenge but one of us won't be leaving here alive! You said to J'onn that Kuro-sama was dead so I guess I'll avenge him for you'_

* * *

**The two charged at each other screaming as they clashed, bounced each other back and clashed again, determined that defeat would be detrimental to their pride, which wasn't allowed. Back with the Ghoul Lords, most of the Ghouls couldn't eat another bite including Bane when Tsume noticed Hamura was already going outside with a crossed look on his face, like he was going to kill someone despite everyone here being in the best moods (at least until they're hungry again) as Tsume followed her husband's closest friend.**

"What have you done, Yang?" Roku seethed as he punches a wall to keep him from harming the girl with him, his niece Anko who was about Bane's age, cracking it as he sensed Kami and Yang faintly as Tsume came up behind him to guide the girl away as Hamura came up to him "Are you okay?"

"Unless this happens often in your presence...you should try to calm yourself down, girl" Hamura said to a worried Anko as Roku punched the wall again "I swear on my dying breath, I'll make them both pay for this..." He whispered to himself, Hamura tackling the women from being spiked by Roku's glass arm and jumped at Tsume touching his shoulder as he walked

"Are you okay?" Roku glared darkly at Hamura when he said this as he asked the ladies this as Roku finally notices them replying sharply "Why should my problems concern you?"

Tsume froze as his hard eyes glaring at her over his shoulder but Anko almost seemed to be used to it and almost matching her violent (to everyone but her) Ghoul uncle "I have something I must do, escuse me...watch over my human niece, Anko while I'm gone" He bowed to them and took off.

"Leave him and let him clear his conscience" a hand held Tsume's shoulder to stop her, it was Anko, who seemed used to her uncle's temper although it causes her to see him only on extremely rare occasions as anything would set him off at times "you're more likely to be attacked if you get in his way"

"Mitarashi Roku...be safe" Tsume said as Roku said "I had unfinished business with some humans, but I did intend to come back... missing me already?"

"You killed them, I assume?" Tsume said as Roku replied "That's a bad thing to say, they were watching over someone for me, my adoptive niece"

"Another Ghoul..." Tsume said as Roku snarled "Don't call her that, she's a human and I had to hide her not only from Kami but your hypocritical husband as well, he's a terribly bad infuence on her!"

A girl roughly the same age as Bane walked up as Roku said "Are you ready to introduce yourself, Anko?"

"Hi...I'm Anko Mitarashi" she smiled at Tsume despite her tomboyish attitude as Yamamoto stepped out "Have you seen Mitarashi-san yet, Tsume?"

"He went after Yang" Tsume said as Bane peeked out "He what?"

**In another room, the Ghoul Lords were having a very private meeting and weren't seeing eye to eye on how to deal with Kami in the slightest yet.**

"So how do you suggest we take care of Kurosaki?" Bartalos suggested as J'onn said "Find some way to bring him to his senses, like Bane did"

"Hn, kill him..." Ryujin narrowed his eyes as lightning seemed to spark between his and J'onn's eyes "I didn't expect you to be so naïve, Lucario, but my son's far too gone and we both know it." His voice was calm, which meant more danger than if he was screaming his head off.

"We could seal him away...for good" Bjorn suggested but Ryujin shut him down as well "Your biggest underestimation of Kami begins with him being the weakest Ghoul Lord, but his mind is nearly as sharp as yours and he'll see this coming and do everything in his power to stop it."

Briarios was pissed and ominously silent with his eyes closed and arms folded with one finger tapping idly as J'onn said "We'll just have to make it so he doesn't get away then."

This caused Briarios' finger to stop mid air and Ryujin to snap "Are you brain dead or just trying to piss me off...I said he'd try to stop us, _not_ evade us, he's not the Demon of the Ghoul Lords without a damn good reason, after all"

Briarios was not one who liked unnecessarily loud noises or to control any bad aspect of himself, including his very hot temper as he sat in lotus position with Bartalos alone noticing that he was gritting his teeth until his eyes opened.

* * *

_**SHUT UP ALREADY!**_

* * *

Briarios flung both fist at the closest Ghouls, hitting J'onn across the mouth and knocking him against the wall as Ryujin blocked just in time with his partially unsheathed sword but both his hands felt shocked...he also felt some of his blood vessels burst from the blow of aggression. Briarios never failed to impress him with his show of raw power and astounding strength.

"There's the problem as to why we were defeated by Kami...as well as Bane Asakura" Briarios snarled "because we're too busy fighting each other rather than fighting the enemy"

"Bjorn disagrees" Bjorn says as he quickly blocks a kick "Kami hasn't defeated us because he was powerful alone...unlike us, he's been seemingly training his whole life to the bone for it"

"In part due to him not liking to lose..." Bartalos commented "he didn't take the fact that he was weaker than any of us to heart that he was not strong"

"Exactly" Bjorn agreed looking at J'onn just coming to "He once held J'onn on a high pedistal but despised him all the same because he was not Japanese but was Japan's Ghoul Lord."

"That leaves Bane Asakura and Yang Hiachi..." Bartalos says "on one hand, Yang has been raised and trained by Kami himself...he's not too pleased with us and Kami alone may know what he's fully capable of"

"Meanwhile, Bane is well...the most powerful young Ghoul I've ever met or fought, I must say" Briarios said, grinning like an animal "I, for one, an excited to fight him again and is there something we should know, Tartaron?"

"Asakura...even now, his mind is even more powerful than his body is" Bjorn chuckled "Bjorn gets the feeling that he can enter the realm of dreams by his own will as well though"

"He can enter dreamland?" Briarios asked as Bartalos chuckled nervously "That shouldn't be able to bother us...as Ghouls don't sleep"

"But it does...somehow" J'onn said as Bjorn nodded "while Bane was fighting you three, there was a moment where time froze and Bjorn could swear Kami touched our shoulders even though Kami was nowhere near the city at the time"

"Are you saying that Kami is smarter than you are, Bjorn-boo?" Tsu Chen chimed in as Ryujin smirked "Bjorn-boo?"

"No...that would be like saying he's stronger than Briarios is and milady..." Bjorn telekinetically slammed Tsu Chen to the wall and put on a slightly sad look on his usually stoic face "What have you been told of the nicknames you've been giving to Bjorn?" He whispered darkly as his own dark side seeped out, darkening the atmosphere of the whole room "I sense your fear...do not test me any further, for your sake" Bjorn's voice grew creepier as he chokes the Ghoul Mistress and smiles.

"I'm still leaving to find that dipshit son of mine but do we agree on at least keeping an eye on Asakura-san?" Ryujin scowled but his smirk came back at another thought "He might be our next Ghoul Lord like his father as much as I hate to say that."

**Screen splits showing the Ghoul Lords each nodding in agreement, all expecting Bane to do as he pleases but not to fail their expectations at the given time as it signaled the end of the meeting.**

"Who did that?!" Ryujin snarled holding his nose, glaring at everyone...Bane, Tsume, Yamamoto and others were outside but Ghoul farts are deadlier than humans, thanks to their diets and whoever let one rip would have a busted throat from Ryujin, if everyone else doesn't beat them senseless first "Open a window, bakayaro!"

"What's the commotion out there?" Bartalos said as he broke a window then went outside to find Anko fighting Bane "What're you two doing out here and who is she?"

Briarios gets closer as his glare intensified on his suddenly very sweaty face as the two traded blows

"Enough!" Ryujin and Briarios crashed between the two and grabbed their heads pushing them back.

Ryujin then charged at Bane, who barely got time to pull his own sword out as Braiarios held Anko back with little effort with one arm.

Ryujin duelled Bane and was somehow pushed back, not by skill but by Bane's inherited intuition from what Kami did for a part of him to in Bane's body and vice-versa.

Ryujin's both feet ending up on Briarios' neck and back, also sending him on his face if he weren't as physically strong as he is as he charged back at Bane with a disgruntled "Don't get wet behind the ears, boy"

Everyone saw the look on Briarios' face as he simply lets go of Anko and dashes the two Ghouls, holding Ryujin in a headlock with one arm, while gripping Bane's face "I think I've had enough of you people for a lifetime...and didn't you just say that _this_ was the main reason we lost to Kami?" He snarled at Ryujin who could barely breath already.

* * *

**Back with Kami and Yang, they were still at each other's throats with no sign of stopping with Kakuzu enjoying every second of it, until Rokusho appeared with a determination to stop his old master and old friend. Kakuzu wasn't planning on letting him go through with that.**

_'Watashi no sukina koto ga sugu ni wa okoranai yōnimieru... Karera wa kono rēto kesshite owaranaidarou'_ (Looks like things won't be turning in my favor anytime soon...they'll never end at this rate) Kakuzu said in awe of the two warriors from his safe perch in a tree where he also was unseen as Rokusho appeared on some branches right under him without ever noticing the Bounty Hunter's presence. Kakuzu glanced down at him for a second but was not interested in him until he made the mistake of opening his mouth.

_'Karera wa... Yan, watashi wa anata no kimochi o rikai shite imasuga, sono hito o watashi no masutā to yobu koto wa dekimasen'_ (There they are...Yang, I understand your feelings but there's no way I can call that man my master) Rokusho said, his glass arm reacting and spiking violently to his rage _'Shikashi, sono hito wa mō mohaya watashitachi no shujinde wa naku, anata wa sore o rikai suru ni wa amarini mo junsuide wa arimasen. Anata ga sono navu~ete to tomoni jibun no michi o hanareru kagiri'_ (But that man is no longer our master and you're too naïve to understand that, as long as you stay out of my way with that naïveté)

He jumped out of the tree to get between the two but Kakuzu jumped higher than him and came down on him with both feet on his back "What do you think you're doing, Mitarashi?" Kakuzu asks abandoning his haori, knowing they'd have more of a fight than a talk, given that it was Kakuzu's fault that Kami reduced Roku's arm to a burning stump and Mitarashi was responsible for Kakuzu owing a lot of people including Kami, the Hunters and the Crypt who he has all since paid off, whose wardins rarely have a need for money to begin with...this was the reason Kakuzu became one of the best Ghoul Bounty Hunters with his only ally being himself and his money along with everyone, not just other Bounty Hunters, as competition.

Rokusho landed on the ground and bounced before landing on his back with Kakuzu never far away.

Having smashed his head on the ground has made the already dangerous Rokusho wild, feral, berserk and pissed off by the black cracks on the skin around his eyes and, once his eyes opened, they were black and pupil less with no outward expression as his strength has physically grown but not to Kakuzu's level yet as the Bounty Hunter came up growling, not very sane himself _'Hāto...'_ (Heart...) He snarls _'Kokoro o sakanakereba naranai... Korekushon ni tsuika... Nokori o ikite moyasu!'_ (Must rip heart out...add to collection...burn the rest alive!)

Rokusho smiled wide "Try it if you dare!" Without being seen, he moves to impale Kakuzu but his stitches came apart, also slashing up his body as he kicked him hard against a tree but he shrugged it off as the tree was about to fall, but he slashed it cleanly in half with one swing as the blade tripled in size, lethality and sharpness as they dashed at each other.

Kakuzu growled as he dodged glass blades at rapid speed until the were both blurs and ran in, grabbed him as he ran through the trees and everything he could get his claws on before throwing him the rest of the way as he jumped back.

A dust picks up around the two, who unwillingly garner Kami's attention as Kakuzu laughed sadistically as the thin tentrils that formed the silken thread in his stitches came from the wound and tried to slice Rokusho's heart out but he caught them

"I guess it's pointless to tell you to stop using that curse before it's side effects kick in badly for you, as you won't listen" Rokusho struggled to hold the tendrils back with both hands, even though they were tearing into his flesh "that curse Kami put on you has more risks than even he knows"

"This is my burden to bare, not yours-" Kakuzu was cut off when they just noticed Kami and Yang had stopped fighting.

**The dust cleared and showed that Yang was near Rokusho, helping him to his feet and Kami was close to Kakuzu, looking at him like a long lost pet, unfazed by Kakuzu's cold glare**

"What are you doing here, Roku?" Yang asks as he pulled the man to his feet "Leave..."

"Yeah, like that's gonna happen, bakayaro!" Rokusho looked at Kami's eyes and was silent "I came here to stop you, even if I had to kill you"

"So you did this by playing with my pet Bounty Hunter?" Kami smiled evilly, his eyes never leaving Roku's as he attempted to pet the crouched Kakuzu beside him, who glared at him

"Don't pet a shark, Demon" Kakuzu threatened too calmly as he avoided his very touch "You might lose more than an arm"

* * *

**The four jump at each other and start fighting, meanwhile War and Peace are on their way to find Bane...having been intrigued about the young Ghoul since Azazel had told them about him.**

"We are close..." Peace said as War was unusually silent, a look of annoyance on the wolf's face as he gave an even more annoyed "Tch...something bothers us about this place"

The demon pair had unknowingly come upon the Crypt on their way to where they were really going and the Hunters, mistaking them for an intruder, attacked without mercy.

War snarled as a fireball came too close to it's snout, stepping back.

"Calm yourself, War...we do not want trouble" Peace said, petting his companion to calm him as War snarled "But they do"

Peace stepped off War's back but a stray burst of water magic froze him completely "Peace!" War shook with rage, turning on the Ghouls "How dare you?!" He attacked tearing Ghouls apart until they got the point to stay clear of him as he circled Peace before laying at his side.

He saw a Ghoul rise to his feet and approached him as he stood quickly and snarled, still enraged "You rotten little beings will pay for this!" But the Ghoul turned tail and ran into the forest instead as War remained where he was and howled into the sky.

* * *

**Back in the city, Bane heard this cry and wanted to go to the Crypt again and as he went outside he found someone who wanted the same thing, Tazaki Hyomaru.**

Bane went outside, determined to go to the Crypt even if he had to alone, only to bump into Tazaki as the bartender snarled "So, _he_ heard it too, Asakura?"

Bane nodded knowing who he spoke about as Tsume walked out "I'm coming too"

"No..." Tazaki said "so you're the boy's mother, huh?"

"I just got a report that my men were attacked..." Scar said "It wasn't Kami..."

**In no time, the four were on their way to the Crypt with Tazaki and Bane in their wolf forms and Tsume on Wolf-Bane's shoulder.**

* * *

**A/N - Yang, Kami, Kakuzu and Roku were at each other's throats...who's gonna win when no one will come out unscathed while Bane is on his way to help War...let's just say that War doesn't especially like Ghouls and isn't in the best of moods to begin with thanks to the Hunters' unprovoked attack, freezing Peace and ticking War off. R&amp;R for more!**


End file.
